Simply Irresistible
by Sereia
Summary: AU Kagome has always loved Inuyasha, but he chose Kikyou over her. But when he falls into a coma, Kagome takes charge and forbids Kikyou from seeing him. But Kikyou wants revenge and after being dumped, she’ll stop at nothing to keep the couple apart.
1. Prologue

this is my first fic so I hope you enjoy it! This is an AU and so everyone is human but Inuyasha still has his silver hair (but no dog ears...#pouts#). And everyone is in college so they're around 22 or so. Also, the eye colours are from the manga so if you've only seen the anime it'll be a little different. And for those of you who don't know any Japanese at all, there are translations at the end of each chap. ENJOY!

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own inu-chan even though there's someone who looks like him tied up in my basement...I SWEAR!!!

**_Prologue_**

As Inuyasha Tetsusaiga walked to the back of the school, he looked around to make sure no one was following him. He wasn't usually so paranoid, but his golden eyes were wary. It was one of those December days where most people needed an extra layer of clothes to stay warm, but he didn't care. He never really cared about anything, that was just his way. His shoes crunched into the snow, leaving a trail of perfectly visible footprints. He looked around again, but all he could see was white. It was actually kind of calming; the light snow gave everything a peaceful glow and seemed to hide any form of darkness.

But Inuyasha was in no mood to be peaceful. He had a purpose and his golden eyes narrowed. It didn't feel like he was alone but he couldn't see anyone. The trees in the back of the school could hide anything and everything. He searched the branches, looking for some sign of movement but nothing happened. His long silver hair was being blown about in the cold breeze and Inuyasha was continuously brushing it out of his face.

'I swearsomeone is following me,' Inuyasha said to himself and shook his head. 'Nah...he isn't that much of a coward. I might just be paranoid, but my instincts have never been wrong before.' He continued to the designated place and saw no one. Putting his hands in his jean pockets, Inuyasha cursed under his breath.

"Feh. He's the one who picked the spot and he can't even show up on time," he grumbled aloud. The wind had started to pick up and the sky above looked like it was about to open up and re-layer the city in snow. Inuyasha grumbled again. He was only wearing a light jacket over his black t-shirt and jeans and he was starting to regret not bringing anything warmer.

"Maybe I should have worn an extra shirt. I wouldn't want to freeze out here," Inuyasha shivered. "Oh yeah I can see it now 'Human popsicle found at back of local college'. Now that's a laugh!" He grinned.

"Yeah, that would be funny," someone said from behind him. Inuyasha turned and found himself face to face with _him_.

"Well, well, you actually came." Inuyasha mocked, looking him up and down. "Didn't think you were actually going to show." Which was the truth. He may act all tough, but Inuyasha knew he could beat him at pretty much everything. He was one of those men who had everyone falling at his feet because of threats. Threats! Nothing else. Inuyasha couldn't remember ever really seeing him in a fight. But then again, he was of no concern to Inuyasha, so he didn't pay attention to his petty brawls.

"I was the one who invited you, remember? Why would I ask you to come out here and then not show up?" he said, glaring. Inuyasha was surprised that his face wasn't permanently stuck that way. He did a lot of glaring at Inuyasha in class and the silver haired man wondered if he did it to everyone.

"Feh, you're not all that tough you know," the silver-haired man replied. "You probably did it so you could say just that: that you did it. And then you'd make up some lie about me not showing up so I'd be the coward." Inuyasha had been half convinced that that was what he really was going to do. And it would spread across the school like wild fire that he was a coward. Not that he cared; Inuyasha couldn't care less what other people thought about him.

"You're just mad because I'm the one to call you out and not the other way around," the man said, laughing. Uh oh... He was laughing, that is never a good sign. Inuyasha looked around cautiously and then took a step towards him.

"Whatever. Can we just get this over with? This stupid little 'fight' of yours is taking up too much of my precious time," he grinned, getting into a fighting stance. He was so ready to put this guy in his place, once and for all. This _boy_ had been a pain in Inuyasha's ass since the day he set foot in this school. He was an arrogant, loud-mouth bastard who never left him alone.

**_FLASHBACK_**

Inuyasha walked into the class room with his best friend at his side. They were finally in college, all of those extra credit classes in high school having paid off. When he had first started high school, Inuyasha had been a typical jock and had always cut class. He hadn't started to get his act together until half way through his second to last year. He had his best friend, Kagome Higurashi to thank for that. She had told him she was going to go to college and that was when he realised he wanted to follow her. So he had had to take some extra courses in order to graduate.

"I can't believe we were able to get so many classes together," his best friend said. She flipped her raven hair and giggled. Inuyasha looked around the classroom and nodded. They found two empty seats together and sat down. He was trying to see if there was anyone else he knew in the class when someone pulled on his hair from behind.

"What's up with your hair, man? Don't you ever cut it?" He turned around and met the face of a man about his age with long brown hair held up in a pony tail. His brilliant blue eyes shone back at him and he sneered at him. "Jeez, it almost reaches your ass. Makes you look like a fucking girl." He started laughing and was soon joined by a few other men around him. Inuyasha just rolled his eyes.

'I thought I was rid of these stupid pricks in high school,' he thought to himself. That was one of the reasons Inuyasha hated high school. It was all about popularity and everyone was in their own little groups. It made him feel like he was constantly being talked about behind his back.

"At least I don't tie it up in some dorky pony tail." Inuyasha snickered and turned back around. He didn't have to look over his shoulder to know that the man was steamed, he could feel the heat resonating behind him. He suddenly grabbed Inuyasha's shoulder and spun him around in his seat. He was just about to let the silver-haired man have it when the teacher walked in.

"Alright everyone, please take your seats while I take attendance." An elderly woman was standing at the front of the classroom, arranging some papers on her desk. She was a short woman with grey hair that she tied into a bun at the back of her head. Inuyasha's first thought was that there was no way that this old granny was going to be able to control a classroom of forty people in their late teens and early twenties.

"Chikan-san, would you please let go of Tetsusaiga-san? Or do I have to assume that your new found sexuality can not be controlled?" she said calmly, causing the whole class to break out into laughter. She was looking up at them and Inuyasha couldn't help but notice the amusement in her wrinkled features.

'Guess that answers _my_ question,' Inuyasha thought as 'Chikan-san' flushed and let him go, mumbling something the sounded like "This isn't over."

'Great,' he thought to himself. 'I've only been in this place for five minutes and already I've made an enemy.' Inuyasha sighed and turned around to face the professor whose name was apparently was Kaede.

**_END FLASHBACK_******

Inuyasha was shaken out of his reverie by the sound of the other man's laughter. That kind of laughter was never met by a happy ending. It was the kind of laughter he was used to hearing in a horror movie. Inuyasha wasn't afraid of the man in front of him, but he couldn't help thinking that he wasn't exactly safe. Something had to have been set up and too many possibilities were running through Inuyasha's head.

"What's so funny dip-shit?" He was angry now. The man was up to something and Inuyasha was becoming irritated. Patience had never been one of his virtues and most people thought it was a flaw. Inuyasha would just blow them off, knowing that they were right but not wanting to admit it just the same. Actually, it was mostly Kagome who kept reminding him of this. She was always telling him how he needed to learn to wait and to realise that he wasn't always going to get his way.

"You," he replied. "You think I would waste _my_ time fighting you? I know about your so-called skills so I came prepared." As he said this Inuyasha was grabbed from behind and shoved to the ground. He looked over his shoulder to see two men holding him from behind and three other men come out from behind some near by trees. He cursed.

"You asshole! You are such a coward, getting your damn underlings to do your dirty work. You'd never fight me alone." He kicked Inuyasha in the side. Now Inuyasha knew he should have worn extra clothing, maybe it would have cushioned the blow.

"Shut up! I've been waiting to do this for a long time." He smiled and kicked Inuyasha again. "They're just here to make sure you don't strain yourself moving while I beat the living daylights out of you."

"You're so full of shit," the golden-eyed man said. The other man crouched down in front of him and pulled his head up by the hair. Their faces were only a few inches apart, so Inuyasha did the only thing he could think of; he spat in his face. It was returned with a face plant into the snow by one of his cronies.

"You bastard!" He snarled. "If you're lucky you won't be conscious much longer. But that won't stop my fun." With that Inuyasha was slammed into the ground again and then brought up onto his feet.

'He must be a lot stronger than I thought,' he thought cringing, 'Because my side aches from where he kicked me.' Inuyasha then got punched in the face and thrust to the ground. Inuyasha struggled to get to his feet but his arms would no longer hold his body weight. He was fairly well built and so he was a bit heavier than normal twenty-two year olds.

"Baka," he groaned "Why the fuck did you pick me up for if you were just going to put me down again?" Inuyasha was then picked up for a second time and flung against a tree. Pain shattered through his body and Inuyasha saw stars. Colours swirled around him and he couldn't move. It must have been a full thirty seconds before things started to come back into focus. Inuyasha heard the crunching of snow and struggled to lift his head. The man came up to him and laughed in his face.

"Poor inu-kuro," he mocked. "You know, I'm getting two good things out of this." Everything was becoming a blur again and Inuyasha knew he wasn't going to be conscious much longer. He tried to get up but as soon as he put weight on his leg he fell back down. He knew instantly that he had twisted something. Pain was shooting up and down his whole body. He got punched in the face and tasted his own coppery blood.

"One, I get the satisfaction of doing to you what I've wanted to do since I met you," he grinned and punched him again. "And two, I'll be able to have a nice _private_ talk with your little friend. It'll be comforting to know that I will be able to talk to her without you interfering. This time you won't be able protect her, like you always do." At this Inuyasha saw red and kicked him in the shins.

"Kisama!" he yelled, now furious. "You stay the fuck away from her!" Inuyasha punched him in the chest but most of his strength was being used in keeping himself awake. The man grabbed his bad leg and Inuyasha flinched. He fell back down on one knee and grimaced. This was not going the way it was supposed to. Weren't the bad guys supposed to lose? If it was, why was he lying half dead in the snow, with his enemy towering over him?

"And who's going to stop me?" the man asked. "It won't be you. How can you protect her if you're dead?" He picked Inuyasha up and shoved him into another tree. The blurriness was being replaced by pure darkness and Inuyasha knew this was it. And as he sunk to the cold ground, one word escaped his lips.

_"Kagome." _

#-#-#

Baka – stupid

Kisama – bastard

Inu-kuro – dog shit

Chikan – another word for pervert

--Sereia


	2. Dreams

wow! I got reviews on da 1st day! I'm so happy lol. I didn't think people would read it dat fast. Neways I'll b using da beginning of each chap 2 answer q's frum da previous reviews so don't hesitate 2 ask stuff!

**Cutie Blossom** - no WAY is dis an inu / kikyo fic. Kikyo's a bitch who can burn in hell and she'll NEVER get her hands on inu-chan (he's mine rofl). I never mentioned dat kag wus his gf and every1 noes how kouga feels about her. Don't worry! INU & KAG 4-EVER!!!

**Jill **- glad u liked it. I'll try 2 update as soon as I can, but I don't promise anything, k?

**mari23** - I never actually sed who inu's gf was. I never even sed who da guy beating up inu wus (if ne1 didn't figure it out den ur kinda stupid)! U'll just hafta wate until I update lol grins evilly

**sleep**** walking chicken and HAP** - lol yes kouga is stupid and a coward. But I think inu's claws r beter den an iron fist, donchu?

A/N: do u guys have ne preferences on who u wanna c in dis fic? I'll have sango and miroku of course but wut about shippo, ayame, naraku, sessy, etc? lotsa couple opportunities! And I'll b making da couples, I just wanna noe which characters u guys like da best! Wel here's da next chappie! Hope u like it!

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer** like I said b4, no I don't own inuyasha, no I don't have him chained up in my basement and no I don't pet his cute little ears every minute I get... Why r u all looking at me like dat?!

**_Chapter One_**

**__**

**_Dreams_**

It was like she was lost in a fog. She couldn't see five feet in front of her and yet she wasn't scared. Although she had no idea where she was, no idea if she was alone, there wasn't an ounce of fear in her body. She figured she had picked that up from her best friend, who she had known since she could walk. The woman shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts. That particular person seemed to invade her thoughts more often than usual now and that was not always a good thing.

Kagome Higurashi was a typical college student. Her grades were good, she helped plan events for the school and she was a loyal friend. The only thing that bothered her was that her love life was well...nonexistent. It hadn't been a big deal in high school because even she knew that those kinds of relationships never last. She had tried to stay away from the opposite sex, but half the male population in her high school followed her around anyway. It had become rather tiresome and had not stopped until her best friend threatened to castrate every male that came near her.

'Good ol' Inuyasha.' She thought with a giggle. Inuyasha Tetsusaiga had come into her life at a very young age and she was extremely grateful. He filled her life with meaning and Kagome would never dream of changing a single memory that concerned him. She ran a hand through her long raven hair in frustration. She was stuck in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a fog that was as thick as peanut butter and appeared to be alone. Fuck. How did she get herself into these things?

Kagome looked around and called out to anyone who was close enough to hear. It didn't seem like there was anyone around, so she started to walk aimlessly through the thick mist. She wasn't about to start running all over the place; there was no point. If she couldn't see anything from where she was, it wasn't going to be any different if she was fifty feet from here. She laughed at the thought of suddenly bursting out of the fog as if it were a box; like a cage holding her inside, alone and lost.

"Oi!" she called, "Is anybody there? Hello?"

"No need to shout, I'm right here," a voice said from behind her. She turned around quickly and suddenly all she could see was amber. The colour captivated her and she held the person's gaze for a few extra moments. The colour whirled within the person's eyes and no matter how much Kagome tried she could not turn her gaze away from the person in front of her.

"Do you always stare at people like that?" the person chuckled. "Or am I special?" She was shaken out of her reverie by the person's low voice and suddenly found the ground to be very interesting.

'Why am I acting like this?' she asked herself. 'It's only _him._ He's my best friend. And why is my face getting hot?' She shook her head, hoping it would get rid of the heat; it didn't.

"Konichiwa Inuyasha." Kagome said, finally meeting his gaze. "I haven't seen you in a while, where have you been?" He looked away as if he wasn't sure what to say.

"What are you, my mother?" he snapped, but she could see the laughter in his eyes. Kagome relaxed a little and laughed along with him. His laughter warmed her entire body and Kagome could not help but feel like she had been wrapped in a loving embrace. This was always happening to her. He always had a way of making her problems go away, even if they were really small. It was helpful knowing that there was always someone there for her.

'This is more like it,' she thought. They started talking about nothing in particular and the fog was long forgotten. It was not until she realised that their surroundings seemed to be getting darker that Kagome mentioned the mysterious mist.

"Ne, Inuyasha," she said looking around nervously "Do you know the way out of this fog? I've been here for a while but I haven't seen anyway out." He looked around as well, but didn't seem to be as frantic as she was.

"The only way out is to realise your true feelings," he said, looking into her azure eyes.

'Wow, you could get lost in those things.' Kagome thought to herself. As always, his golden orbs were sucking her in and she was making no effort to stop them. And they were such an amazing colour; they were an amber-like gold, and would peer into her soul if she looked long enough.

"My true feelings?" Kagome was confused. "What do you mean Inuyasha? Inuyasha?!" She wasn't confused anymore, she was scared and concerned. He had suddenly bent over holding his stomach. She couldn't see his face because his long silver hair was in the way. His arms were wrapped around his waist and he fell down onto one knee. It looked as if his wasn't able to support himself and Kagome was becoming hysterical.

'What the hell is going on?' she thought frantically, 'Is he sick?' She stared at the man in shock as he let out a moan. He started to shake and Kagome was still trying to figure out what was wrong. It wasn't like anyone had hurt him; she would have seen it. But the way he was kneeling made it seem like he was in a great deal of pain. She clenched her fist in anger because all she could do was stand and there and watch; she was helpless.

"Inuyasha daijobouka?" She rushed to his side and tried to help him up, but he just shrugged her off. Then he collapsed and Kagome gasped. Her feet felt as if they were nailed to the floor and she couldn't move. Her whole body started to shake as she stared at her best friend. He lay in a crumpled heap on the ground, his eyes closed, his breathing staggered. His chest rose and fell with a laboured motion and Kagome wanted to cry.

Inuyasha's lip was bleeding and so was his side. A small pool of blood was now on the ground where he lay and there was a large stain on his shirt. He had bruises all over his arms and a black eye. She couldn't believe it! When had this happened? He was fine just a minute ago. Kagome looked him up and down and when she got to the lower half of his body she noticed something, his left leg was twisted at a very unusual angle. It wasn't enough to be broken but she knew there was definitely something wrong with it.

'Holy shit!' Kagome's breath got caught in her throat and her hand flew her mouth. 'He looks like he's dead.' She was finally able to get out of her frozen state and she reached out for him. The only problem was that he seemed to be getting further and further away. Kagome started to run towards him, in hopes of helping him somehow. Tears formed in her eyes and started to fall down her cheeks as she called out to him.

"Inuyasha!" She screamed, "Inuyasha!! Inuyasha!!!" Tears continued to stream down her face as she struggled to get closer to him, but it was no use. No matter how hard she tried, he was always out of her reach. Kagome pushed herself to go faster and called out to him again. His eyes fluttered open and their gazes locked. Inuyasha's face was so full of pain that Kagome let out a gut-wrenching sob and reached out for him again. His silver hair was in disarray and a few strands had fallen over his eyes. He struggled to push himself up in order to get a better view of her and Kagome felt herself getting tired.

"Realise your true feelings," he said. "That's the only way out." He looked at her for a fleeting moment and then collapsed onto the ground. Kagome felt confusion pierce through her pain.

"The only way out? Out of where?!" She looked at the silver-haired man and watched as he faded into the distance. The mist had become even darker and she finally felt afraid. She fell to the ground, wrapping her arms around her shivering body and gazed at Inuyasha. His blood soaked body was the last thing Kagome saw before darkness surrounded her.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

Kagome slowly opened her eyes and the first thing she noticed was that the fog was gone. She looked around and realised that she was in her dorm room...with a very annoying alarm clock going off. She reached over to her bedside table out of habit and shut it off. Light was shining in through the window and gave the room a soft glow. She blinked a few times before sitting up.

'A dream?' she wondered, 'Eh, more like a nightmare.' Kagome stretched her arms over her head and yawned. It was another December morning and from the look of it, it had snowed again. She got up from her bed and grimaced as her feet made contact with the cold floor. Kagome didn't like to wear slippers. Although many people kept on telling her about how warm they made their feet, she just thought it was a hassle. She was more of a barefoot or socks kind of girl and so she never bothered with slippers.

Today she wished she had.

"Haven't they ever heard of heated flooring?" she grumbled aloud. Kagome rubbed her arms as she shivered. There were Goosebumps all over her arms now and she tried to warm herself. Then she walked over to the window and peered outside. It took her eyes a moment to adjust and Kagome squinted at the world outside. The campus was blanketed with a layer of pure white that sparkled in the morning light. She could not believe how beautiful everything looked. Kagome stood there in awe and watched as the sun reflected off the snow.

'This is the only good thing about mornings in winter,' the raven-haired woman thought, 'If you get up early enough, you can see the snow without any markings made by animals or people.' In truth, Kagome loved snow. Many people hated how inconvenient it was but she loved to go for long walks and just admire the scenery. She was so engrossed by the scene outside that she did not hear her roommate creep up behind her.

"You know, if you look at that too long you're going to be late," she said, giggling. Kagome jumped three feet in the air.

"Kami-sama Sango, you scared the shit out of me!" Kagome grasped her chest and tried to control her breathing. Sango just laughed and headed towards the bathroom. Sango Taijya had lived near Kagome since they were in elementary school. She was Kagome's closest girlfriend, but not her best friend. No one could take the place of Inuyasha, but there were some things she just couldn't talk to him about. Sango was great for _girl stuff_ and she always knew how to have a good time.

"Just wanted to wake you up a bit more, Kagome." She glared at Sango and the coffee-haired woman laughed again before closing the door. Kagome could hear the tap running from inside, so she knew she was safe from anymore heart attacks that morning. She knew she had a few minutes before Sango would come out of the bathroom. Sango was very hygienic and so she always took a long time to get ready. Her long dark hair looked as if it was from one of those shampoo commercials because Sango took such good care of it.

Kagome occasionally felt jealous of Sango because she was so neat. It came so naturally to her while Kagome was struggling to keep her side of the room clean. Sango's side was spotless and she was always scolding Kagome about it. Kagome didn't mind though, she just told her that was the reason they got along so well. The two girls were so opposite and yet so similar at the same time. She was glad she had found a friend like Sango. Kagome took one more glance outside and frowned.

"I really do not feel like going to class today." Kagome sighed. What she really wanted to do was go outside. She did not want to be stuck inside a boring classroom all day. She looked at her watch, "Well, it's already 7:15. I better get moving or I really am going to be late." She walked over to her closet and opened the door.

It was one of those typical college dorm closets; her clothes were on the right and Sango's were on the left. Kagome looked through her things for something to wear. She was glad she didn't have to wear the same thing everyday like she did in high school. She hated those uniforms they had been made to wear. The only good thing came out of high school was the fact that she and Sango had become closer.

Her hand touched something soft and she pulled out a bright red, long-sleeved shirt. Kagome stared at the shirt and her eyes widened a little.

"Wow. I forgot I even had this." It wasn't something she wore very often because it seemed a little too fancy for her. But the shade brought out the gold specks in her sapphire eyes and so she brought it out of the closet and put it on her bed. It also looked good against her creamy skin, so that was a plus as well. Then she went over to her dresser and opened one of the middle drawers. She pulled out a dark, flared pair of low-rise jeans and laid them beside her shirt.

'These will look really good together,' Kagome thought, 'But I need a belt or something since the top only goes half-way down my stomach.' She blushed at the thought of walking around the school with her stomach showing. Kagome was fairly modest and didn't like to show off that much skin. But hanging around Sango had brought out the wild side in her and she felt like being spontaneous today.

Kagome stood in front of her dresser with her hands on hips, her pale pink pyjama pants crumpling under her fingers. She tried to think of something that would go with her outfit. Suddenly she got an idea and started rummaging through her jewellery box. It didn't take her very long until she found exactly what she was looking for. It was a chain with little white stones hanging from it. The jewels hung from the chain loops and were about three loops apart. Kagome held it up to the light and thought about the time it had been given to her.

**_FLASHBACK_**

"Come on Sango!" Kagome grinned, "You know you want to."

"I so do not." She had turned at least three shades of red and suddenly found something very interesting in her lap to look at. Miroku was standing beside her chair and still had his hand extended towards her. Kagome had a huge smile on her face and had to contain her laughter. She watched as her friend squirmed in her seat. Kagome knew that Sango had a thing for Miroku but he was such a player that Sango wasn't about to admit her feelings any time soon.

Miroku Houshi was one of the most popular guys in their entire high school, along with Inuyasha. His dark brown, shoulder-length hair was always tied back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck and he was constantly wearing a smile. Kagome guessed that it was his dark violet eyes that entranced the whole female population. He was always being followed around by girls and that was one of the reasons that Sango had never told him how she really felt. The other was his lecherous hand. It tended to wander to places it shouldn't.

"Onegai Lady Sango," he pleaded. "Just one dance and I swear I will control myself." He put on a puppy dog face that not even the all-mighty Sango could resist. She rolled her eyes and looked at Kagome. If she was looking for sympathy, Kagome was not about to give her any. Kagome just smiled innocently and motioned for her to go with Miroku. Sango glared at her.

"Oh alright," she said exasperatedly, "But just one and if your hands start wondering, I'm going to hit you so hard that we'll have to drag you home."

"Don't you do that already?" She took his hand and he led her onto the dance floor. People were dancing to an upbeat song that Kagome had never heard before and the club lights were flashing all kinds of different colours. Sango had persuaded Kagome to come to the club for her eighteenth birthday. Kagome had replied with "Only if you invite Miroku." And Sango had relented after a whole bunch of arguing but Kagome could see that she was happy.

Kagome watched as the couple walked onto the dance floor. Sango was about to start dancing when the music changed and a slow song started. Kagome couldn't help but laugh as Sango blushed. She turned to walk away but the violet-eyed teen grabbed her hand. Miroku twirled her around and put his arms around her waist. He pulled her close and whispered something in her ear. A small smile crept onto Sango's face. Her arms snaked up around his neck and linked her hands together. Kagome could see that Sango was embarrassed but she soon got into the rhythm and put her head on his shoulder.

"They make such a good couple." Kagome said to no one in particular. She rested her head on her hand as she stared at the happy pair. They slowly swayed to the music and it was almost as if the song was being played especially for them.

"I agree," a voice said from behind her. Kagome turned around and saw her best friend sit down at the table. His silver hair was loose around his shoulders and his black leather jacket was open, showing off his red shirt. He sat back in his chair in a relaxed position and Kagome narrowed her eyes at him.

"It's about time you got here," she said angrily. She had asked him to come as soon as Sango had suggested the club idea. Kagome had hoped he would have surprised her with some flowers or something but she knew that was just wishful thinking. All the same, she still would have liked it if he had shown up on time. Inuyasha had a tendency for being late and this night was no exception. "You couldn't even try to make it on time for my birthday Inuyasha?"

"Sorry Kag," he shrugged his shoulders sheepishly, "I had to pick up something." Kagome raised an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms across her chest. She glared at the teen as he watched the people on the dance floor.

'What was so important that he had to be late for my birthday?' Kagome thought to herself. She figured it had to be something about Kikyou and that made her even angrier. It was bad enough he was dating her cousin, but ditching her for Kikyou was even worse. She was about to ask about it when he put a small box on the table. Kagome looked at him with a questioning glance.

"Just open it," he said not making eye contact. Kagome pick up the box and examined the wrapping paper. The background was a soft baby blue and was decorated with pink cherry blossoms. She pulled off the ribbon and used a knife to cut the tape so she wouldn't ruin the paper. She had distinctly told him not to get her a present because Sango and Miroku had said they weren't going to. But they ended up paying for her ticket into the club anyway.

'Why doesn't he ever listen to me?' she smiled internally as she fingered the small package. She finally got the wrapping paper off and took the top off the box. She gasped and stared at the gift. It was a silver chain belt with little white jewels attached it. Each jewel hung at a different length that would sway when she walked.

'Kirei...' She gently touched the chain and ran her fingers over the smooth jewels. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She pulled it out of the box and spread it out on the table in front of her. The white stones sparkled in the dim light of the club and Kagome could not help but smile. She figured she must have been gazing at it longer than she thought, because Inuyasha suddenly spoke up.

"I take it from the look on your face that you like it," he said chuckling. She looked at him and nodded slowly. Words could not express what she was feeling.

"Where did you find this?" The raven-haired teenager asked, for she had never seen anything like this in her entire life. Nothing even came close; she had seen girls wearing fancy belts around the school but nothing like this. This was... well, it was something.

"Kikyou helped me pick it out. I figured that I should get another woman's opinion before I made a fool of myself," he replied, looking awkward. All of the happiness Kagome had received from opening his gift evaporated. Her shoulders dropped and her hand came away from the chain so fast it looked like she had been burned by it.

'I knew she was going to ruin my birthday.' Kagome thought bitterly. 'She always does.' Ever since Kagome could remember, her cousin Kikyou had somehow managed to ruin her birthday. Her mother made her invite Kikyou because she was family until she turned thirteen but it wasn't too long after that that she came to live with them. Kagome had been partial to her aunt and uncle's death because she cared about them but it meant that Kikyou had no legal guardians. And then, her mother, being the saint that she was, invited Kagome's cousin to live with them until she could make it on her own.

'That stuck-up bitch.' Kagome thought, 'She has no idea what we did for her.' She bunched the chain up and put it back in the box that it. Then she replaced the top and folded the wrapping paper. She put the gift in the small black purse that lay on the table and looked back at Inuyasha.

"Arigatou Inuyasha." She put on a fake smile so he wouldn't know how much his words hurt her, "It's beautiful. I'll treasure it always."

**_END FLASHBACK_**

'It doesn't matter if _she_ helped him pick it out or not,' Kagome thought, 'It was a present from Inuyasha on my eighteenth birthday and therefore it's special.' She untangled it from her other necklaces and put it the rest of her clothes. Then she selected a pearl hairclip from the bottom of the box and smiled.

"I think I'll put my hair up a little today," she said aloud. Kagome opened her top drawer and pulled out the necessary under garments before gathering up the rest of her outfit and heading towards the bathroom. She was about to knock on the bathroom door when it opened. Sango took one look at her and smiled. She had her dark brown hair up in its usual high ponytail and her bangs were brushed off to the side. Her pale pink eye shadow and dark eyeliner made her magenta eyes stand out even more.

"Wow, perfect timing!" Kagome said as she passed Sango with an arm load of clothes and accessories. Sango had changed into a sleeveless black t-shirt that had 'Hands off' written in neon pink letters across it and a pair of dark blue jeans. On her feet were her regular sneakers. They had been white when Sango had bought them but then she spray-painted them black and added some silver glitter in order to give them some sparkle.

"I know," the coffee-haired woman giggled, "We've been hanging out too long. I'm able to read your thoughts now Kagome." Sango held her forest green pyjamas in one hand and her jean jacket in the other. Kagome laughed along with her as she walked into the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and her laughter instantly died. Then she sagged against the door and sighed.

'If you were able to do that Sango,' Kagome thought sadly, 'You'd know that I'm in love with my best friend.'

#-#-#

Konichiwa – hello (good afternoon)

Ne – hey

Daijobouka – are you okay?

Kami-sama – God

Onegai – please

Kirei – pretty

Arigatou – thank you

wel how wus dat? confusing? lol kay heres da low-down: kagome is inuyasha's best friend and kikyo is his gf and he dusnt noe dat kag's in luv w/ him. And dats ALL da clues im giving u rite now. I already noe wuts gonna happen next, I just thought i'd leave u guys w/ a nice cliffie lol. hope u liked it!

--Sereia


	3. Pride

wow I'm on my third chappie (if u include the prologue), must sorta noe wut I'm doing lol. I hope u guys like reading dis so far, such I like writing it. Cackles evilly I control their fate!!! Mwahahahahahaha… #cough# neways, heres da next chappie and hope I get sum response!!!

**sleep walking chicken and HAP** - lol yes da 'physical link', sango's not realy psychic but when u hang out w/ sum1 4 a LONG time (like over den 4 her and kag) u can kinda tel wut dey're thinking or about 2 say. I should noe, me and my best friend r like dat a lot lol

**crystalshower**- yay another reviewer! thx a bunch and I'll update as soon as I can!

**black**** shadow fox** - yes don't worry, inu will get his revenge (but in more ways den 1 #grins evilly#)

**dbzchild** - sry can't tel u dat, u'll justa hafta keep reading if u wanna noe! lol

**Kiwi Gal** - I'm glad u like it but is dere a reason y u speak in third person or you did u hire a narrator 2 speak 4 u? rofl good u noe u liked it and I'll b adding more soon!

**Cutie Blossom** - yes yes don't worry, im a total inu & kag fan! But u'll hafta bare thru a few parts cuz inu IS going out w/ Kikyo in da beginning. But its gonna b a happy ending!

**justice689 **- wow! I wish all reviewers were like u! lol thank u very much and yes I purposely didn't say the attacker's name. at first I wasn't sure who I was going to use cuz I couldn't decide whether 2 use kouga or naraku but then I came up w/ da the idea about kouga and inu being enemies frum da start and I've got another part for naraku. 4 those ppl who didn't noe who the attacker was, they'll find out in this chapter, whish wus my intentions. Plus da fact dat inu never sez kouga's name in the actual anime, lol.__

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer** do I hafta keep saying dis? I don't own inuyasha but if I did I'd b VERY rich and pet his ears all day!

**_Chapter Two_**

**__**

**_Pride_**

Inuyasha tried to ignore all the looks he was getting from people as he walked down the hall. He could automatically tell what people were thinking because of the expressions on their faces. Inuyasha guessed he shouldn't really say people, because it was only the females who were making these faces, as usual. They would gaze at him with a look of desire and hope, but he was used to it. He had been getting these looks since elementary school and they hadn't changed.

His long hair was such an unusual colour that it would catch anyone's eye. His silver locks flowed down his back and shone in the little bit of sunlight that filtered in through the windows. Many people had asked where he got his hair done because it was always in such good shape but Inuyasha would just shrug. He didn't do anything special with his hair; even Miroku, his roommate spent more on his hair than him and his hair only came down to his shoulders.

Inuyasha tried not to make eye contact with any of them because even the tiniest look may give them ideas. He wasn't self-centered or anything but women had a tendency to think he was interested if he even looked at them. He kept his amber eyes on the floor and concentrated on getting to class. The women were always trying to catch his gaze and if they did they would automatically strike a sexy pose. But Inuyasha would just glare at them and continue on his way; although he had to try not to laugh when their gazes would shift to the person beside him.

'I swear, if looks could kill, Kikyou would have died a million times already.' Kikyou Miko had been Inuyasha's steady girlfriend for a little over three years and he had had no complaints. It had been a little awkward in the beginning, considering she was his best friend's cousin, but everyone got used to after a while. He had always been attracted to her but it hadn't been strong enough to actually ask her out, so she had been the one to make the first. His fingers were laced with hers and he squeezed her hand a little tighter.

Inuyasha's golden gaze quickly wandered around the hallway, taking in all the dirty looks Kikyou was getting. He was surprised that she never said anything about it. Maybe she didn't notice, but he found that hard to believe. She was confident enough to ignore things like that so he wasn't too worried about it. However, Inuyasha could tell by the way the females were staring them holding hands that there was going to be a massacre soon, so he quickened his pace.

"Daijobouka Inuyasha?" Kikyou asked, "You aren't in a hurry to get to class now are you?" She smiled and held his hand tighter. Inuyasha rolled his eyes at her. He wasn't about to say anything about the death looks she was getting but he wasn't about to lie to her either.

"No," he said, "I just don't want to miss Miroku getting beat up by Sango." It wasn't the truth, but it wasn't a lie either. Miroku had a tendency of letting his hand wander to places it should not and Sango was the usual victim. It would always end with Sango yelling "Hentai!" and Miroku lying unconscious on the ground. Inuyasha chuckled to himself as he pictured the dark-haired man lying on the classroom floor. It was their usual morning entertainment.

Not that Sango didn't mind the attention, Inuyasha could see it in her eyes every time they looked at each other. There was love there, she just didn't want to admit it so she always ended up turning away blushing. It had been going on since high school and Miroku had the bruises to prove it. Miroku was a major player and Sango knew it. But he just thought it was a big game, he only acted truly serious when he was around Sango. He was still a pervert, but his facial features would soften whenever she was within half a mile radius.

Inuyasha reached the classroom and walked through the doorway. He looked around and noticed that it was almost full even thought they still had five minutes until class started. Usually people liked to rush in at the last minute; himself included. It wasn't as bad as high school where people would walk in thirty minutes late because they were actually paying to be there. They weren't being forced to learn; it was their choice.

The sound of someone being slapped made his head turn towards the middle of the room. As per usual, Miroku was laying on the ground with Sango standing over him. Inuyasha shook his head and a few strands of his silver hair came out of place. He mentally cursed as he brushed it out of his face. Inuyasha didn't really like to tie it back but sometimes it got in the way. He tugged on Kikyou's hand and pulled her towards the couple.

"Isn't a bit early for that, Miroku?" Inuyasha smirked as he made his way over to them. The violet-eyed man got up holding his cheek and grinned. A large red handprint was starting to form and Inuyasha was surprised that there wasn't a permanent mark on Miroku's face.

"Oh come on Inuyasha!" He looked over to Kikyou, "You're the one who came in here holding someone's hand." Both Sango and Kikyou glared at him. Kikyou flipped her long raven hair over her shoulder and put her hand on her hip. She was about to say something when Sango cut her off.

"That's something entirely different Houshi." Sango said hitting him on the arm, "Kikyou has given Inuyasha permission to touch her, while you, on the other hand, seem to like to do things without asking first!" With that she sat down in her seat and started taking her supplies out of her bag. Miroku just shrugged and sat down in the spot next to her. Inuyasha tried to stifle his laughter.

"You two are impossible." He shrugged his black book bag off his shoulder and let it sink to the floor. He didn't like to carry around anything but the essentials so his bag was never that heavy. A few pens and pencils, plus his books, were about all he needed. Occasionally he would have some food if he didn't feel like buying his lunch, but he always kept his wallet and keys in his back pocket.

"Well I've got to get to my own class," Kikyou said, letting go of his hand, "But I'll see you later, ne Inuyasha?" She kissed him on the cheek and walked out of the classroom. Inuyasha sat down in his own seat and was getting out his assignment from last class when he realised that someone was missing. He looked to his right and noticed that the seat next to him was empty.

"Oi, Sango!" Inuyasha said turning around, "Where's Kagome? She usually comes to class at the same time you do. You are roommates after all." Now that he thought about it, Kagome was never late for class either. She was really into her studies and always got here before him. She had worked hard to get into college.

Inuyasha had hardly seen her in their last grade of high school because she had been working at so many part time jobs. Her family wasn't poor, but Kagome wanted to be able to have enough money so she would not have to worry about bills or things like that. Inuyasha had never had that problem; his father had left both him and his brother with a hefty inheritance when he had died. But he had admired how much hard work Kagome had put in, in order to have a good life.

"Nani?" Sango gave him a confused look. "Gomen, I wasn't listening. What did you say Inuyasha?" Inuyasha rolled his eyes, he hated repeating himself.

"Ka-go-me," he said, enunciating each syllable, "Where is she? You know how she feels about being late for anything." He smirked. It was true; Kagome always wanted to be early for everything, even if it was something she hated. He would to hold her back and it would annoy the hell out of her. Inuyasha kept trying to tell her that it wouldn't kill her to be late once in her life but she always replied with something about him being lazy.

"Oh, Kagome was taking too long in the bathroom this morning," she said shrugging, "She told me to leave without her and she would catch up, so I did." Inuyasha looked at her with a confused look on his face.

"Hontouni? That isn't like her," he said, "I mean, isn't she the one who's always telling you to hurry up?"

"Maybe she wanted to look extra special for someone today." Miroku said, leaning over. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at him but didn't say anything. Kagome wasn't one to be so concerned about her looks that she would consider being late for class.

'Kagome doesn't have a boyfriend,' he thought, 'So who would she be getting all dressed up for?

#-#-#

As Inuyasha became lost in his thoughts, Sango gave Miroku a knowing look. He gave her a quick nod and she sighed. Although Kagome didn't know it, both Sango and Miroku knew about her new developed feelings for Inuyasha, even if they had been developed a few years before. Sango bent over towards Miroku and whispered in his ear.

"She had that belt that Inuyasha gave her for her birthday with her when she went into the bathroom," she said, "She only wears it when she wants to feel better about herself." It had been hidden underneath the rest of her clothes but Sango had caught a glimpse of it just before Kagome had closed the door. She had also noticed the sadness in her eyes.

"Poor Kagome," Miroku said, his face full of worry, "She really does love him, doesn't she Sango?" Sango looked over to the oblivious silver-haired man sitting next to her. He was staring at the front of the room, deep in thought.

"Hai," Sango agreed, "Kami-sama I hate Kikyou! She doesn't really care about Inuyasha. She just asked him out to piss off Kagome. She's so fucking jealous of her that I'm surprised her face hasn't turned green. " And Sango was right, as soon as Kikyou had found out how Kagome _truly_ felt about Inuyasha a few years back, she had asked him out.

**_FLASHBACK _**

'I don't know why I have to live with my stupid cousin,' Kikyou thought angrily. 'Just because I'm only seventeen doesn't mean I can't take care of myself.' She turned her black Mercedes into the drive way and sat there for about five minutes.

Her long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail and a pair of sunglasses hid her dark eyes. She put her hands on the steering wheel and sighed. As soon as her parents had died, the social workers had taken over her home and requested that she go and live with some relatives. Her aunt Fiona, Kagome's mother, was the closest living relation and so she had been the first choice. Kikyou had pleaded with the social workers, begging them to let her live on her own. She had enough to sustain herself for the time being but she wasn't a legal adult.

'The only good thing about coming here is I can finally ask that Inuyasha guy out,' she thought smugly, 'That bitch thinks she's so smart! But I know how she looks at her so-called 'best friend'.' The raven-haired teen took her sunglasses off and put them on top of her head. She squinted at the house in front of her, letting her eyes adjust to the bright sunlight. Then she got out of her car and walked around it.

'Too bad he's never gonna feel the same way about her,' Kikyou laughed out loud and got out of the car, 'I wonder how I can get him to come over so I can ask him right in front of her. That would break her heart.' She pretended to pout as she opened the trunk of her car. She pulled out her suitcase and set it on the ground. The rest of her stuff would be coming in the next few days and her parents belongings would be sold off or given away according to their will. Kikyou didn't really care, as long as they didn't touch her stuff.

She slammed the door shut and started to lug her suitcase up towards the house. A noise sounded from in front of her and Kikyou looked up to see her aunt standing in the doorway. The dark-haired teen sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

'This is going to be hell.'

#-#-#

"Kikyou! Get up! We're all going on a picnic!" was the first thing Kikyou heard the next morning. Groaning, she rolled out of bed and started to get dressed. She quickly pulled on a pair of jean shorts and a white blouse that stopped right under her breasts. Running a brush through her hair, Kikyou checked her reflection and then walked out of her room. She had been significantly disappointed with the size of her new living quarters, but she had expected as much. Kagome's family wasn't as wealthy as hers and so the fact that her new room was the size of her old bathroom was a major step backwards.

'Don't they know people our age need more sleep in order to function properly?' she grumbled to herself. 'Oh well, knowing Kagome, she will have invited her friends which means I get to have a little fun today.' She finished dressing and went downstairs where she found Kagome putting food into a basket.

"Ready to go?" she asked innocently, "We're meeting Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha at the Sakura tree in the park in ten minutes." She closed the basket and carried it to the front door. Kikyou sighed and shrugged her shoulders. She looked around for her purse and saw it on the table. Rolling her eyes, she nodded and took her car keys out of her purse.

"I'll drive," Kikyou said, "Since you went to all the trouble of making the food." Kagome turned around and looked at her cousin. Her long raven hair swished about her head and Kikyou couldn't help but feel jealous.

'Poor innocent bitch,' Kikyou thought, 'I wonder if she's ever had any ounce of pain in her life.' Kagome flashed her a brilliant smile and Kikyou almost gagged.

"Arigatou Kikyou. That would really help." She walked out of the house and up to Kikyou's car and put the basket into the trunk. Then she got into the passenger seat. Kikyou just smirked and got into the driver's side. As she started the car, Kagome turned to her cousin and smiled again.

"Arigatou again, Kikyou," Kikyou didn't say anything and simply nodded. With that she drove out of the drive way and made her way to the park.

'I don't think you'll be saying that by the end of the day, Kagome.' Kikyou thought evilly.

#-#-#

"Sugoi Kagome," Inuyasha said grinning, "That was really good. Thanks for inviting me." Kikyou saw Kagome blush and looked away mumbling something about it not being anything special.

'This is my chance,' she thought, 'While she's vulnerable.' Kikyou turned to Inuyasha and put on her most innocent look.

"Ne Inuyasha, I was wondering," she said timidly as he turned to face her, "I was wondering if, maybe, I mean if you wanted to that is...would you go out with me to a movie some time?" Kikyou didn't look at Kagome but she could tell she was shocked. Now all she had to do was make him say yes.

"Ummm, sure Kikyou," he said with a hint of bewilderment in his voice, "How about this Saturday? I'm free then."

"Great!" Kikyou said kissing him on the cheek, "Pick me up around seven?" She looked back at Kagome and saw the sadness and hate in her expression. The dark-haired teen just smiled as her cousin suddenly got up and walked away.

**_END FLASHBACK _**

"Kikyou's such a bitch!" Sango cursed angrily, "I can't believe she did that! And right in front of Kagome." Miroku nodded, agreeing. He wanted to reach over and comfort Sango but he knew that he would just end up on the ground unconscious so he decided against it.

#-#-#

Inuyasha was shaken out of his thoughts by the sound of someone running into the classroom. He looked up and saw a young woman standing nervously at the front of the class, facing the teacher. She was rocking back and forth on her feet and her sapphire eyes darted about the room. Suddenly their gazes locked and she smiled sheepishly. Inuyasha stared back at the raven-haired woman in shock.

'K-Kagome?' His golden eyes widened as Kagome smiled at him. The red shirt she was wearing only came down to the middle of her waist and accented her eyes. The dark jeans hugged her curves and showed off her long legs. Her long raven hair was pulled back on one side and secured with a pearl butterfly clip. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her and her shoulders had risen a little. Inuyasha noticed that she was very uncomfortable where she was.

However, Inuyasha was not the only one who had noticed Kagome. He could hear people whispering around him, as well as some whistling from most of the males. A faint blush crept over her cheeks and Inuyasha's eyes travelled over her body, taking in everything about her. His wandering gaze stopped at her hips and his lips curved up into a smile.

'She's wearing that belt I gave her,' he thought, 'The one I gave her for her birthday.' Kagome mumbled an apology to Kaede and headed up to her usual seat. A black bag was slung over her shoulder and she dropped it to the floor. She opened it up and took out her textbook and pencils. Setting them on her desk, Kagome quickly sat down as the elderly professor called up to her.

"Because this is your first time being late, Higurashi-san, I'm letting you off with a warning." Kaede said, her frown turning into a smile, "Although I have to say I can see why you're late; red suits you." Kagome blushed and nodded. Kaede walked back to her desk and started ruffling through some papers. Kagome turned to Inuyasha, who was still staring at her.

"Ohayo," she said, flashing him a smile, "I didn't miss anything, did I?" She looked at him, waiting for an answer but Inuyasha suddenly found that he couldn't speak. A lump had formed in his throat and no matter how hard he tried, words would not form in his mouth. The neckline of her shirt was lower than her normal attire and showed the top of her creamy breasts. She had also put on a little extra make-up which made her features stand out even more. Inuyasha couldn't take his eyes off her and she blushed.

"Inuyasha?" she asked again, "Did I miss anything?" He shook his head and turned to the front of the classroom.

"No, Kaede-sensei hasn't even taken attendance yet." He said trying to get rid of the heat creeping up onto his cheeks.

'This is your best friend!' Inuyasha told himself, 'I shouldn't have stared at her like that.'

/Why not?/

'Because I'm going out with Kikyou, that's why not.'

/Doesn't mean you can't look. Kikyou never looks that good and you know it. She wears way too much make-up and likes to show way to much skin./

'She only does that to impress me.' Inuyasha was starting to get angry with himself.

/Only you? I don't think so. Have you seen her flirt with other men?/

'Shut the fuck up!'

/Fine! I am part of you though, so that means you already knew these things./

'Feh.'

#-#-#

Kagome smiled inwardly to herself. She had seen the way Inuyasha had looked at her when she sat down next him, even though he had tried to brush it off.

'Exactly what I was going for,' she thought triumphantly. Kagome had spent some extra time doing her makeup and hair this morning because she wanted to be the one to draw attention. Fortunately, she was able to do it without looking like a slut, like her bitchy cousin.

'I bet Kikyou never got that kind of reaction from Inuyasha.' Kagome thought as Kaede started to take attendance, 'She wears too much makeup and really skimpy clothes. I can't wait until she sees me.' She smiled again and began to get her stuff out of her bag.

"Lookin' good, Kagome," someone said from behind her. Kagome sighed and turned around to see a pair of bright blue eyes looking at her. Or rather, looking her over. His eyes made her regret her decision in clothing this morning when they lingered on her chest.

"Arigatou Kouga," Kagome said, putting on a fake smile. She heard a growl from Inuyasha and giggled for real. He and Kouga had never gotten along, especially since Kouga was always flirting with her. It made Kagome sick the way he treated women and how they always followed him around. She, however, was one of the few women, along with Sango and Kikyou, who did not fall for his weakening smiles and cocky pick-up lines.

Unfortunately, to him, this made her a challenge and he wasn't known for backing down from a challenge.

"Yeah, that shirt really does suit you." Kouga said, his eyes not moving. Kagome could tell Inuyasha was about to mold him into a pancake so she took matters into her own hands. She rested her head on her hand and batted her eyelashes at the tall brunette.

"Arigatou again, Kouga. But you know," she said leaning towards him seductively, "When you compliment a woman, it's usually better if you look at her face and not her chest." He finally met her gaze as everyone around them burst out laughing. Kouga flushed and slid down into his seat. Kagome just smiled and turned back around to see Inuyasha looking at her with praise. She giggled again and shrugged her shoulders.

He shook his head and laughed as Kaede tried to regain control. Kagome clicked her mechanical pencil twice and started to take today's notes when she saw Inuyasha turn around out of the corner of her eye. One of Kouga's lackeys handed him a piece of paper. Kagome looked at him questioningly but he just shrugged and went back to taking notes. She stared at him for a while and then went back to her own notes.

#-#-#

Inuyasha was in the middle of taking down the words written on the board at the front of the room when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and found himself looking into the face of one of Kouga's followers. He was about to snap at him for breaking his concentration when the man shoved something into Inuyasha's face. Inuyasha looked at the piece of paper and then back at man sitting behind him.

"Just read it," he said. Inuyasha took the piece of paper reluctantly and then turned back around to face the front. He felt someone eyes on him and looked to see Kagome looking over suspiciously. Her eyes were flickering between him and the note in his hands, worry written all over her face. Inuyasha just shrugged and pretended to take notes again. He could feel her gaze on him still, but he did not want to get her involved with whatever Kouga was up to now. So Inuyasha waited until she had gone back to her own notes before reading what was on the small piece of paper.

_Inu-kuro___

_I've had it with you and your bullshit._

_Meet me behind the school after class so we _

_can__ settle this once and for all._

_-Kouga_

'Great,' he sighed, 'Just fucking great! Another one of his childish rumbles.' He had done this before and Inuyasha had sent him to the nurse's office with a bloody nose. Inuyasha was so sick of his shit that he looked over at him and nodded. It would be quick but painful...for Kouga anyway, so Inuyasha wasn't worried about it. As soon as class finished he gathered up his books and headed out the door without saying anything to anyone.

As he was putting his things away in his locker, Kagome rushed up to him calling his name.

"Inuyasha!" she said, pausing to catch her breath, "You ran out of there pretty fast. Daijobouka?" Inuyasha thrust his last book into the locker and slammed it closed. She cringed at the noise and he turned to face her.

"What are you my mother?!" Inuyasha snapped, and he immediately noticed the change in her expression. Her face paled and her eyes widened. He watched as she took a step back and he felt like slapping himself.

'Baka! Just because Kouga's being a prick doesn't mean you have to take your anger out on her,' he thought to himself, 'Demo, she looks like she's seen a ghost. What caused that?' Her gaze wandered to the ground and Inuyasha's face softened. He heard her sniffle and realised that she was crying. He could never stand to see a woman cry, especially Kagome. Inuyasha put his hand under her chin and lifted her head up so he could look in her eyes. He rubbed her tears away with his thumb and pulled her into his arms.

"Gomen Kagome, I didn't mean to yell at you," Inuyasha said, rubbing her back, "I'm just kind of stressed out right now. But nothing's wrong, I swear. If there was, you'd be the first one to know." She nodded into his shirt and he let her go. He smiled at her and wiped her remaining tears away. Inuyasha hated lying to her but this was something he did not want her worrying about.

"Gomen," she said.

"Don't worry about it." Inuyasha said, "But you have to stop crying." She laughed and nodded. She hugged him and murmured an 'I promise' into his shirt. Then she stepped back and fixed her shirt.

'Kami-sama,' Inuyasha thought, 'She looks so beautiful. Wonder what made today so special?' He looked her up and down and smiled to himself.

"You know I'm going to have to agree with the wimpy wolf for once," Inuyasha said, causing her to look him straight in the eye. "You look really pretty in red." She blushed at the compliment.

"Arigatou." she whispered so that only he could hear.

"Listen I've got to go but I'll see you at lunch, ne?" She nodded, but didn't smile. Inuyasha turned around and was about half way down the hall when she called his name again.

"Inuyasha?" she said running up to him.

"Hai?" she looked like she was trying to figure out what to say.

"Be careful." With that she whirled around and hurried off to her next class. Inuyasha just stood there.

'What did she mean by that?' he wondered, 'She couldn't know about the note Kouga had given me.' It struck him as strange that she would say something like that out of no where, but he shrugged it off. Inuyasha reached the door leading outside and headed outside to the place Kouga had mentioned with Kagome's voice in his head.

#-#-#

Hentai – pervert

Nani – what

Gomen – sorry

Hontouni – really

Hai – yes

Sugoi – wow

Ohaiyo – good morning

Sensei – teacher

Demo - but

Wel heres da next chappie! If hadn't alredy guessed, kouga is da attacker from da prologue. Now, I noe dere r a lot of kougs lovers out dere so I need 2 noe if you guys want a happy ending for him or not. Cuz I could make him miserable at da end of da story cuz I HAVE DA POWER!!! Mwahahahahahahahaha, but if u guys realy like kouga den I'll bring in Ayame or sumthing. LET ME KNOW!!!

--Sereia


	4. Found

hey guys, I'M BAAAAAACK! Had a gude vacation and I wrote SO much 4 my story I'm gonna end up splitting it up in2 two diff chapters, lol. wel thank al of u guys 4 reviewing and I hope u like dis next chap!!!

**black**** shadow fox** lol yeah, I mite end up killing Kouga. But I already have an idea about wuts gonna happen 2 him in da end and don't worry, its gonna b PAINFUL! Mwahahahahahaha…

**Sonic-Fan** yes yes yes happy 4 inu of course!!! Inuyasha and Kagome parings r my fave so u prolly wont c much of anything else lol. and Kouga will get wut he diserves!

**Inuyasha Loves Kagome2991** yeah I thot da note thing wus appropriate cuz if Kagome over heard Kouga actually talking 2 Inuyasha about da fite she would have interfered and I didn't want dat. And yeah u write really gude stories!!!

**Babushka ** thx 4 da warning, I'll try 2 recheck my chapters extra carefully frum now on, but da thing is is dat since I'm writing it I noe wut I WANT it 2 sound like so I skip stuff, lol. and I'l b sure 2 check out da story u mentioned!

**ladykaa28** I LUV long reviews thank u lol. I'm guessing u don't like Kouga much? Lol, don't worry Kouga is gonna get beat up MORE den once in my story so yeah he'll be crawling back 2 his cave by da time I'm dun with him!

**Cutie Blossom** yeah sry da beginning wus a little confusing. Da classroom scene is a flashback from da fite and da next chap is happening DURING da fite (hope dat makes sense) and dere will b LOTS of inu/kag stuff in da future but I'm gona hafta put in sum inu/kik 2 cuz well, dey're kinda going out so yeah. But don't worry everything will work itself out in da end, I PROMISE!!!

**kiyo**** chan** YAY!!! A fellow Canadian! We rock lol. thx 4 ur email! I don't get many emails instead of reviews so it wus nice 2 read sumthing diff. I'm glad u like my fic so much. I've had dis idea 4 a while, I just never actually started writing it down until now. I hope u'll keep reviewing and stuff. And yeah gravitation is a REALLY gude anime but brace urself 4 yaoi stuff if u end up watching it all. It's a really gude anime cuz da characters r really funy. I'll try 2 update as fast as I can but with skewl starting I'll prolly only get 1 chapter up per week unless I'm feeling REALLY creative lol!

**Rachel ** lol no happy ending 4 Kouga, I promise!

**sleep**** walking chicken and HAP** yeah psychic links r kewl lol. I don't think kouga will end up roting but he'll b pretty close lol! 

**kiya1821 ** wow LOTS of ppl want me 2 actualy KILL kouga, maybe I should…hmmmmmmm we'll hafta c lol. He wil get beaten 2 a pulp though, I do promise dat!

**Healing Tenseiga** yes da classroom scene IS a flashback, sry guess it's a bit confusing. But I think u'll understand da plot more in da next chappie. Its really long cuz I wus trying 2 b detailed and explain stuff. Lotsa flashbacks 2 lol.

**Stone Dragon Ruby** I'm updating as fast as I can, lol! I wanna c how dis fic ends up 2 cuz I've got so many ideas dat r sorta mismatched. I just hafta put dem in da rite order. Ur stories look realy gude 2, I'm reading as many of them as I can!

**TaiChiMaster8989** sry about da short chappies, but I'm just getting started. Da next 1z will b longer and I hope 2 continue dat way. I wont have ACTUAL rape but I think I'm gonna have an attempt or sumthing, I'm not quite sure. Don't worry wont b anything gruesome cuz I'm not 2 big on reading about rape either.

**SilverDevil** glad u liked it and yup yup yup kouga will get beat up! More den once if I can help it #grins evilly#

**EmeraldDragon** good 2 have lotsa ppl saying gude stuff about da fic! Makes me wanna write more!

**Jill ** sry I wusnt able 2 get another chap in b4 I left but dat just means dat dis 1 will b extra gude, rite?

**Snoe**** Storm** da last name thing is funy as hell! Rofl, gude 2 noe (hah did it again!) people r reading my notes, cuz dey can explain a lot. I'll b updating a lot in da next few days!

**DespitefulSaint** lots is gonna happen in da next few chaps so stay tune 4 more 'yayness' lol

**Sparkling Cyanide** YAY! Thank-u! ur da 1st critisizing review I got! Dis is my 1st fic / story ever so its not gonna b perfect. I noe da whole inu vs kouga thing is a little weird but I'm sorta going on da anime background. Kouga has a thing 4 kagome and since inu is her best friend, he's very protective of her. He has undeveloped feelings 4 her dat r starting 2 emurge even doe he's going out w/ Kikyo. Dere wil b more inu/kik stuff (much 2 my distaste lol) but inu/kag pairing r my fav so dats wut ur going 2 c happen in da end. So wuts confusing about da flashbacks? Dere r gonna more 2 come, there's even a ½ flashback inside another flashback in dis chap. Do u mean da fact dat I started in da middle of da fite and went back 2 da morning of? I noe dat wus kinda weird but dats wut I wanted. Also I noe dat author's notes kinda disrupt da story and I don't do it DAT much. Should I just put a star beside da stuff I wanns explain and den put it at da bottom? Hope u keep reading!

wow SO many people reviewed! I feel so special lol! Wel here's da third chapter and I hope u guys like it. Da fourth chap will b posted fairly quickly cuz I'm already half dun it. I just couldn't stop writing when I wus on holiday, so many ideas! On a side note, in da next chap deres gonna b a lot of semi fluff between inu and kag (but in a flashback). Just 2 let u noe its placed BEFORE inu wus asked out by Kikyo and he is VERY protective of kagome (just like in da anime) so it may seem dat dey r in luv but dey aren't (yet lol). Inu just hates 2 c kagome cry (YOU noe dat!) ENJOY!!!

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer**: kami-sama dis gets annoying, ne? I don't own Inuyasha, I never wil not matter HOW much I wish it! Dere, happy? I said it... WAH!!!!! I want Inuyasha!!!

**_Chapter Three_**

**__**

**_Found_**

"Achoo!" Kagome tried to stifle a sneeze that had come out of nowhere. She was sitting in her mathematics class with her textbook open in front of her but she wasn't really paying attention. Kagome wasn't a major math student but she was required to take it, even in her last year at college.

"Daijobouka?" Sango whispered. She was trying not to attract any the professor's attention and Kagome didn't blame her. The math professor was a real bitch and she had a tendency to pick on anyone and everyone in her classes. Kagome just nodded and turned to look out the window to her left.

'Someone must be talking about me,' she thought as she gazed into the winter wonderland that was their campus. Kagome had hoped that the sun would come and melt the snow today. She wanted to go shopping and get some new clothes, but did not like to drive in the snow.

'Guess I'll just have to go another time,' the raven-haired woman sighed miserably, 'Damn! I really wanted to get that new jacket too. Stupid snow!' She really loved winter, just not when it spoiled her plans. She sighed again and her thoughts turned to Inuyasha. He had been upset about something, or at least distracted by it. He had hurried out their first class as if the room had been on fire.

'Probably wanted to see Kikyou before the bell rang,' Kagome thought bitterly, 'Bitch!!! I can't believe I ever called her family. She knew how I felt about Inuyasha and so she deliberately asked him out in front of me.' She started to fill with anger. If Kagome had been outside, she would have melted a hole in the snow by now. The only thing that kept her from exploding was the reaction she got from Inuyasha that morning. It had been rewarding watching him look at her the way he did.

'I felt his gaze as soon as I walked into the classroom,' Kagome thought, calming down a little, 'But on the other hand, I felt everyone else's as well.' Disgusted, she thought about all the men that had looked her up and down. They thought that the only good thing about a woman was her body. She wasn't surprised though, it was the same everywhere else. Men only wanted a quick fuck and that was it.

'Especially Kouga! I don't know why so many women follow him around,' she wondered, 'He thinks he's Kami-sama's gift to women. At least I was able to get back at him.' Kagome giggled as she recalled his face. She must have been the first person to actually embarrass him from the look he gave her.

'It was more surprise than embarrassment,' she thought, admiring the scenery, 'Kami I wanna go outside! Even though it ruined my shopping plans, it looks so nice out there.' Maybe if she asked them nicely, Inuyasha and the others would agree to sit outside at lunch. They usually sat in the cafeteria but when it got warmer they would go outside and sit in the banks of the school.

Kagome let her mind go blank as she stared out the window. Everything was covered in snow and there wasn't any movement anywhere. The sun had finally come out from behind a cloud and so the ground had started to sparkle. The good thing about this particular window was that it showed an area that hardly ever got disturbed by students. There was only one set of foot prints along the ground, leading to the back of the school.

'It looks like someone painted a picture and put it up against the window,' she thought, 'It's so pretty outside.' Kagome propped her head up on her hand, as she continued to stare out the window. The sun had brought everything to life. It seemed to give everything its own essence as it reflected off the newly fallen snow. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the sun went behind another cloud and everything darkened. The snow no longer twinkled with happiness and existence. Instead, it seemed to engulf everything around it.

'It almost looks foreboding; like something bad is about to happen,' Kagome said to herself, 'It's hard to believe that I'm looking at the same piece of scenery.' The sudden change in light caused her to shiver and close her eyes for a moment. The picture outside of her window looked death-like. The trees loomed towards her and cast shadows with their branches. Kagome opened her eyes, hoping that the sun had come out again, but the shadows had become even more sinister now because a wind had picked up. The wind moved the trees and caused some of the snow to be blown off the branches.

'Guess we won't be sitting outside,' she sighed unhappily. But she wasn't really concerned about that anymore. An uneasy feeling had swept over her, like the wind over the trees, and no matter how she tried, she couldn't shake it. This feeling worried her because the only other time she had felt like this was six years ago. She was fifteen and her brother, Souta, had fallen down into the well inside the shrine in their backyard.

**_FLASHBACK_**

"Oi, onee-chan! If you don't hurry up you're going to be late!" Souta Higurashi called up the stairs. It was like a tradition: Kagome would wake up on time but she would never be able to leave for school when she was supposed too. Then Souta would call up to her with a warning right before he left.

"Hai, hai!" Kagome answered, flustered. "Now where did I put that textbook?" She looked underneath her desk and pulled out the math book she had been looking for.

"How did you get under there?" Kagome asked the book. When it didn't answer her back, as books usually don't, she shoved it into her school bag and rushed down the stairs. She grabbed a piece of toast off the table and ran out the door.

"I'm outta here! Ja ne Okaa-san, Ojii-chan!" she yelled back at the house. Kagome had to hurry up if she was going to be on time because she was extra late today for some reason. Maybe it was that feeling that she had gotten when she woke up. As soon as Kagome had opened her eyes, a weird feeling had come over her. At first she thought she might be sick, so she had grabbed a couple of Tylenols from the bathroom. But the feeling had not gone away, she started thinking it was something else.

Kagome slowed as she passed the Goshinboku and smiled. No matter how her day had gone, that tree always made her feel better. It had to have been over a hundred years old and Kagome had climbed to every branch since she was little. Right now each limb was decorated with lush green leaves and small pink blossoms because it was the middle of spring. It was also full of memories, including her happiest one. This was where Kagome had met her best friend, Inuyasha, for the first time.

She remembered it like it was yesterday. He had been sitting on the lowest branch when she saw him for the very first time. In the beginning, Kagome thought he was a demon because he was wearing a bright red coat and had little white dog ears on the top of his head. But when he jumped down she realised that it was just a costume. He had glared at her but all Kagome could do was giggle because he looked so cute. Plus she was only four years old so she pretty much giggled at everything.

"What are you looking at wench?" he had said, glaring at her.

"Your ears, silly puppy," she had giggled again, looking up at them. "Kawaii."

"You like them?" the boy had asked. Kagome nodded and tried not to laugh at his confused face. "No one else likes them except my mom. That's why she doesn't let me wear them to school or around other people." Then he had smiled and stuck out his hand.

"I'm Inuyasha Tetsusaiga. What's your name?" he had asked her. Kagome had stuck out her hand and shook his like she was taught.

"My name's Kagome Higurashi! Please to meet you Mr. Inuyasha!" From then on they had become inseparable. Kagome shook her head, clearing it of the memory and looked at her watch.

"8:30?! Now I'm really going to be late!" She ran to the top of the stairs that led to the street below. Kagome, her brother Souta, her mother and her grandpa, lived in a shrine, so there were about two hundred steps from their house to the street. But that wasn't why she had stopped.

The uneasy feeling had just gotten worse and suddenly Kagome knew why. Where was Souta? Since they lived so high up, she would always see him walking to school with Kohaku, Sango's younger brother. Sango was Kagome's other best friend and lived closer to her than Inuyasha, so the two girls always met up first and walked to school together. Kagome looked up and down the street and saw Sango and Kohaku waiting at the corner; but no Souta. This worried her; he was smart enough not to go off by himself. So where was he?

"Souta!" Kagome yelled, turning around, "Souta?!" The feeling had gotten stronger and was leading her somewhere. She looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

"Souta?" Kagome called again, "Come on Souta! This isn't funny. I'm already late!" She passed the Goshinboku again and started back towards the house.

'Iie, it's not the house,' she thought to herself, 'This weird feeling is pointing me to...the well shrine?'

There was an old well inside a small shack behind their house. Grandpa used it for publicity by telling tourists that it used to be a portal to feudal Japan. He also spoke of a legend that told of a girl from the present. She apparently went through the portal and met a half-demon, a demon exterminator, a perverted monk and a baby fox demon.

Kagome always thought it was a bunch of bullshit but they were fun to listen too. She opened the door to the shrine and screamed as something ran passed her feet.

"Buyo! You fucking furball! You scared the shit out of me," she cursed at the white and ginger cat. Kagome was about to curse at him again when she heard a moan from inside. Kagome whirled around, but didn't see anything. The moan came again.

'It's coming from inside the well!' She thought, 'Is it a ghost? No, don't be stupid, Kagome. There's no such thing.' The raven-haired girl picked up a stick and slowly made her way over to the well. The bottom was a good ten feet down, so Kagome wasn't really afraid that something was going to jump out and grab her. She peered over the side of the well and gasped. There lay Souta on his back, with a large cut in his forehead. Blood was seeping from the wound and trickled down his face where is pooled on the ground near his ear.

"Souta!" she screamed, dropping the stick, "Souta, daijobouka?" He opened his eyes slightly and looked up at her.

"Onee-san? I fell..." His voice trailed off and Kagome realised that he was in shock. She looked around for a ladder and finally spotted one tucked away in the far corner of the shack. She picked it up and carefully lowered it into the well.

"Hang on Souta," She said, "I'm coming down to you." Kagome climbed down the ladder carefully because she knew how old it was. Kagome cringed as the last rung broke under her weight. Luckily she as closed to the ground so she was able to catch her balance. She kneeled down beside him. She didn't dare touch him because he could have hurt his neck or his back and she did not want to risk moving him. Kagome looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"Souta? Souta can you hear me? What happened?" His eyelids fluttered before he was able to fully focus on his sister.

"I chased Buyo into the well house." His voice was strained, "I was looking into the well when he jumped down from a shelf. He scared me and I fell in." He tried to sit up but she forced him to lie back down.

"No Souta, stay still," she said in a soothing voice, "I'm gonna call for help alright?" Kagome opened her bag and found her cellular phone. She dialled 911 and started to recite their address to the operator. Kagome told her that her brother had fallen and the operator on the other end said that an ambulance would be there soon.

Then Kagome took out her jacket and lay overtop of Souta, so he wouldn't get cold. She looked at his face and suddenly became aware of how much blood there was. She had never realised there was that much blood in a human head and it was scary to think that the blood she was looking at belonged to her brother. Kagome backed away and sat against the well wall. Her arms were clasped tightly together and she shivered. The last thing she remembered was the sound of sirens before darkness claimed her.

**_END FLASHBACK_**

Kagome came out of her daydream and sighed. She wasn't so bothered by blood anymore and she thought that she had blacked out because the blood had belonged to someone she knew personally.

'At least all he needed was a few stitches,' Kagome thought, 'No concussion or anything serious.' But that wasn't what had gotten to her that day. It was the fact that she found him because of a strange feeling.

'It was like some kind of force brought me to the well, but there's no such thing as the supernatural,' she thought, 'Maybe it was just my sisterly instincts kicking in.' She leaned back in her chair and looked out the window again. The campus still had that ominous look to it. It didn't look like a picture anymore...it looked like a scene from a horror movie.

'I wonder who those footprints belong too,' Kagome thought to herself, 'They must be male, but who would wanna go to the back of the school at this time of day—'

"Higurashi-san!" Kagome's attention snapped to the front of the room. The teacher was looking at her expectantly.

"Hai?" She suddenly realized that everyone was looking at her.

"Can you tell me the answer to the question I just asked?" An opened textbook was in her hand but Kagome couldn't tell which page she was on.

"Iie," the raven-haired woman mumbled.

"Well maybe if you paid more attention to what I was saying, you'd know that I didn't ask a question," she said, smiling. Kagome sunk lower into her chair as everyone started laughing. She felt heat rise to her cheeks as the professor continued.

"The classroom is not a place for daydreaming, Higurashi-san," she said as she went back to the board at the front of the room, "Please refrain from doing so until lunch."

"Hai," Kagome looked at Sango and shrugged her shoulders sheepishly. The chocolate-haired woman just smiled and held up her text book to show Kagome which page they were on.

"Arigatou," Kagome mouthed and opened her own text book. They were currently doing algebra and she didn't understand a word of it; though, she never really did in the first place.

'I thought we finished this in high school,' Kagome thought, dejectedly, 'This next half an hour is going to last a lifetime.' She looked up at the clock and sighed as she started copying down the formulas that the professor had written on the board.

#-#-#

"Did you see Kikyou today?" Sango asked as they lined up for lunch. The cafeteria was extra crowded today because of the snow. It would be at least ten minutes before they got anywhere near the food.

"Holy shit! I know! Do you think she evens takes her makeup off at night? She wears so much mascara it looks like she just adds another coat every morning." Kagome said making a face. Kikyou wore so much makeup that was surprising that her face hadn't fallen off.

"I don't know how she stands it," she said grabbing two lunch trays, one for each of them. "I feel uncomfortable wearing red lipstick."

"Yeah, but you don't need it Kagome," Sango said as she was given a tray, "You're naturally beautiful so all you need is mascara, a little eye shadow and lip-gloss to look gorgeous!" Kagome blushed at her comment.

"Arigatou. I just wish other people shared your opinion," she replied sadly, looking down. Kagome may have gotten a reaction from Inuyasha this morning but he complimented Kikyou on how she looked everyday.

"People like, oh I don't know, Inuyasha?" Sango grinned. Kagome looked at her in shock and she winked. Kagome had never told her friend about her new found feelings about Inuyasha, so when did she...? Kagome could feel the blush appearing on her face so she tried to fake innocence.

"Nani? How-? I...I...I don't know what you're talking about Sango," she stuttered, hoping to hide the fact that her face had turned more than one shade of red.

"Oh, I think you do Kagome," she smiled, "Come on! I've seen how you look at him; and how you looked at Kikyou whenever she's latched onto him." Kagome pretended to be interested in that today's menu so Sango wouldn't see the truth in her eyes.

"How long have you known?" Kagome asked her. She was on the verge of tears, but didn't want to make a scene in front of the whole cafeteria, so she continued to look at the ground.

"Since that day we went on the picnic. You wouldn't have run away so fast when Kikyou asked him out if you didn't feel something for him." Sango grabbed a plate of fries and dropped them on her tray, "What are you gonna have?"

"I've suddenly lost my appetite," Kagome just grabbed a hot chocolate at the last minute and got rid of her tray. She moved to the cashier and handed over her money. Then she waited for Sango as she paid for her own lunch and looked around the lunchroom for Inuyasha.

Kagome didn't see him, but Miroku spotted them and waved them over. He had gotten their usual four seat table that he, Sango, Inuyasha and Kagome sat at every day. It was more secluded than most of the tables so they got more privacy. They were also able to hear each other a lot better.

As Sango and Kagome made our way over top their table, Kagome noticed Kikyou sitting with her usual group. There was Yura Taregami, who was obsessed with her hair; Kanna Kaze, who was always looking into a mirror and Kagura Kaze who was Kanna's younger sister. Kagura was the best out of the bunch; Kagome had spoken with her a few times and from what she had heard, the lovely brunette had a thing for Inuyasha's elder brother, Sesshomaru.

Kagura actually wasn't that younger than Kanna. They were twins but Kagura had been born a few minutes after her sister. Kagome couldn't believe how different Kagura and her sister were. The only thing they had in common was their birthday, because the similarities stopped there. Kagura was a dark-haired, sophisticated young woman that Kagome had a lot of respect for. Kanna was just another blonde slut that hung out with Kikyou.

Yura and Kanna glared at Kagome when she passed their table and Kikyou just smirked. Kagome looked over to Kagura, who she smiled and shrugged her shoulders, indicating that didn't agree with what the rest of her group was doing but she wasn't going to do anything about it either.

"Hello Kagome, milady Sango," Miroku greeted them as they sat down, "You're looking lovely today."

"I'm not your lady...and you already saw us today," Sango snapped, but Kagome could tell she liked it.

"Have you seen Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, not looking at Sango, "He said he'd be here." The raven-haired woman looked around the cafeteria again but she didn't see the silver-haired man.

"I haven't seen him since first period," Miroku replied, stealing a fry from Sango's plate. She smacked him, but ended up moving her plate closer to him so they could share. Kagome took a sip of her hot chocolate and smiled as it warmed her insides.

Kagome closed her eyes and pictured herself drinking hot chocolate in front of a fire with Inuyasha. They would be wrapped up in a blanket and snuggle together as they watched the fire dance. Kagome could almost feel the heat of the fire dance across her cheeks as she wallowed in her daydream. A smile formed on her lips as the fantasy continued.

A mug of hot chocolate was clasped in both of their hands and she was sitting in his lap. Inuyasha was in his usual cross-legged position and his other arm was draped around her waist. Her head was resting in the crook of his neck and she sighed in content. Then put his cheek against hers and kissed her lightly. His lips barely brushed her skin but it was enough to send shivers hurtling down her spine. He set the mug down on the floor with his right hand and turned her face to meet his. His lips brushed across hers before crushing them in a passionate kiss.

'What I wouldn't give for that to be real,' Kagome thought sadly, 'But that'll never happen. Inuyasha's content with Kikyou and he's not one to give up things that's he's happy with.' She was so lost in her fantasy that she didn't notice Miroku's hand inching towards Sango's ass until it was too late.

"AH!!! Houshi, what the fuck are you doing?!" Sango screamed as she turned around and slapped him across the face. Kagome blinked a couple of times and realised that Miroku was now on the floor with a red handprint on his cheek.

"You're such a pervert, Miroku," Kagome said, trying not to laugh, "Can't you ever keep your hands to yourself?" He just lay there with an innocent face as Sango sat red-faced in her chair. Kagome laughed at them both and took another drink of her hot chocolate.

"I can't help it when I'm around beautiful women like Lady Sango," Miroku said, grinning like an idiot. If it was possible, Sango got redder. Kagome laughed again and helped Miroku up off the floor. Then she searched the cafeteria again, but there was still no sign of Inuyasha.

"Where is he?" she wondered out loud.

"What did you say?" Sango asked, as she finally stopped glaring at Miroku.

"I'm going to look for Inuyasha," Kagome said getting up. Sango gave her one of those 'You-just-want-to-see-him-again' looks, but she ignored it.

"He probably just met up with Kikyou." Miroku said nonchalantly. Sango punched him in the arm causing him to flinch.

"What?" Sango glared at Miroku and he shut up. Kagome pushed in her chair and left them to their French fries. She walked through the lunchroom. Looking to her right, she noticed that Kikyou's bitch club was no longer there. Kagome breathed a sigh of relief but tried to ignore all the stares she was getting.

'This outfit is really effective,' she smirked, 'I should dress like this more often; though I only wanted to affect one person in particular.' The belt jingled against her thighs and she became more worried. Inuyasha was never late for lunch; he was always the first person out of the classroom once the bell rang.

'This is unusual, even for Inuyasha.' Kagome thought with a frown. She opened the door to the hall and looked for anything silver. She saw people chatting and playing cards but she didn't see Inuyasha. As Kagome wandered the hallways, Miroku's words rang in her head.

_He probably just met up with Kikyou._

'Has Inuyasha really stood us up for...Kikyou?' she thought gloomily, 'Iie. Sitting together at lunch has basically become a tradition for us. He wouldn't suddenly stop coming because he wanted to hang out with Kikyou; even if she is his girlfriend.' Kagome still hadn't seen him inside the school, so she decided to check outside.

As soon as she stepped outside the main doors, she wished she had brought her jacket. The sun had permanently disappeared, which had made the school grounds drop at least five degrees. She shivered, but not because of the cold.

"Something's wrong," Kagome was scared now because that uneasy feeling was back and stronger than ever. It was in the pit of her stomach and made her feel a little nauseous.

'Why is this happening again? Is Inuyasha in some sort of trouble?' she thought, 'It's probably nothing, but I've got to find him anyways.' Kagome ran into the middle of the front part if the school grounds and looked around frantically. He had to be here somewhere.

"I wonder why this feeling is coming back again. First I start feeling like this in math class..." Kagome stopped dead in her tracks and gasped, "I felt like this when I was looking at the back of the school!" She began to sprint, which was hard considering she was high healed boots. She cursed herself for not putting her sneakers on this morning.

"The one day I decide to dress up a little," she grumbled, "I end up doing fucking laps around the fucking school in the fucking snow!" Kagome reached the area she had been watching through her math class window and stopped as she tried to catch her breath.

"Why'd they have to make this school so damn big?" she said to no one in particular. The bottoms of her pants were soaked and starting to ice over. But Kagome didn't care; she had to figure out why this part of the campus was making her feel this way.

Something caught her eye a few feet in front of her so she took a few steps foreword to see what it was. She looked to the ground and her chocolate eyes widened in shock and realisation.

'The footprints,' Kagome bent down to take a closer look, 'Kami! These are Inuyasha's footprints!' She stood up and started to run again; following the trail of footprints in the snow. She rounded a corner and almost fell flat on her face.

"Inuyasha." Kagome couldn't move, all she could do was stare. Her best friend, whom she had known since she was four, was lying in a crumpled heap on the cold, wet ground.

"Inuyasha?" she struggled towards him, "Inuyasha?" His body was in such a weird position that Kagome was afraid something was broken. He didn't move when she called his name and she faltered as flashes of her nightmare ran through her mind.

"Shit!" Kagome cursed out loud, "My dream! This is what he looked like in my dream." She was completely shaking now because she was so angry with herself. She had known but she hadn't said anything. It was all her fault. If she had only told him about her dream; about what she had seen, he would be okay.

"I knew something was going to happen as soon as he made that comment about me being his mother at his locker today." She finally reached him and fell to her knees beside him. He was covered with blue and purple marks and Kagome realised then that he had been beaten up.

"Who would do this to you?" she wondered aloud, "It had to be more than one person..." She couldn't find the energy to speak any more. Kagome knew had been done by more than one person because Inuyasha was the best fighter she knew. Hell, he was the one who had taught her how to fight, and she was really good. Now she wished even harder that she had brought her jacket with her so she could have put it over top of him.

He was still breathing which was the only thing that was keeping her from going insane at the moment. She reached over to hold him when she noticed the red surrounding his body. She pulled her hand back as if it had been burned. She looked at her fingers and felt the warm sticky substance.

"Blood." Kagome's breathes were coming out in short rasps, "He's bleeding!" She looked over his body and found a deep gash in his side. Blood was steadily seeping out of the wound and was staining the snow.

'He's been stabbed?!' Tears were pouring down her face now, 'Now I know there was more than one person.' There was no way one person could have made it that close to Inuyasha without him noticing. His reflexes were too quick.

"I've gotta go get help," Kagome said, "He needs a doctor and fast." She wiped her face with her sleeve and unclipped her cell phone from her back pocket. She dialled 911 and waited for the operator to pick up. As soon as she heard "Hello?" Kagome started yelling into the phone.

"My friend's been hurt and he needs help fast!" She was in no mood to be polite, "He's unconscious, but still breathing and he's got a stab wound in his left side."

"Ne, ne calm down—" the operator started but Kagome cut him off.

"Don't tell me to fucking calm down! My best friend is lying unconscious in the fucking snow and you're telling me to calm down?!" She was seeing red now, "Just tell someone to send a fucking ambulance to Shikon no Tama College...now!!!" She ended the call and almost threw her phone at a tree. Kagome was furious now. Who the hell would want to beat up Inuyasha for no reason? As far as she knew, he hadn't majorly pissed off anyone in particular lately. But then again, she wasn't around him all the time. Kagome shook her head.

'No, he would have told me if something had happened because...' The corner of her mouth curled up as tears formed in her eyes, 'Because he would have thought this was funny.' She looked over at him and brushed a lock of his silver hair away from his face.

'Even now, he's still beautiful.' Kagome smiled a little. Her thoughts turned back to the situation he was in and her nails dug into her palms.

"When I find out who did this you, Inuyasha," Kagome said standing up, "I'm gonna fucking kill 'em." If she was being serious with herself, she would have known that Inuyasha would never let her near whoever was responsible for beating him up, but Kagome was beyond all reason right now. She wanted to stay with him, but she had to go meet the paramedics at the front of the school. Kagome had realised after she had hung up on the 911 operator that she hadn't told him that Inuyasha was at the back of the school campus.

"I'll be back in a minute, Inuyasha," she said, even though she knew he couldn't hear her. "Don't worry, everything's going to be fine." Kagome could hear sirens in the distance as she slowly made her way to the front of the school.

#-#-#

Onee-chan – sister

Okaa-san – mother

Ojii-chan – grandpa

Ja ne – goodbye

Goshinboku – known as the God Tree, grows in Kagome's yard

Kawaii – cute

Iie - no

so how wus dat? Gude? Bad? Tel me PLEAZE! I want 2 noe! And don't worry da next chapter will be coming soon. Like I sed im already half dun it so u wont hafta wate long! And can u tell me if I spelt the 'Shiko no Tama' rite? Don't wanna go around spelling important things like DAT wrong, lol.

--Sereia


	5. Nightmares

hey guys! Told u dat my chapters would get longer! I hope u guys enjoyed dat last chapter and I'm sry if u think there isn't a lot happening but don't worry, da MAJOR stuff is gonna start soon. Lol, 4 all uv u who asked 4 certain characters will hafta b patient. I have ideas 4 every character I'm planning on using so u'll just hafta wate and c if I use dem or not. Neways, here's da next chapter and I hope u like it. I warn dat deres gonna b more of Kikyo in dis chap…shivers but I cant help dat. ENJOY!!!

**black**** shadow fox** lol, yeah I don't like it when ppl read stories and don't review, guess dey're just lazy! Fluffy WILL b 'good' in my story, don't worry. I really like him so I'm gonna incorporate him sum how, and he wont b evil but he will hav sum of him original personality traits lol. I don't think dere will b a lot of him in DIS chap but he'll defiantly b appearing in da later chapters, FLUFFY RULES!!!

**sleep**** walking chicken and HAP** I LUV hearing frum u! ur 1 of my fav reviews lol. I wish I could c ur belt! I wish I had 1 like da 1 in my story lol. hope u'll keep reading!

**Jill ** dun worry, inu's gonna b fine. He isn't fine rite at da moment, but who would b? he just needs his little Kagome 2 make him all better, lol!

**ladykaa28** lol yes there will b LOTS of evil blood spilt. I'm afraid Kikyo will get 2 visit Inuyasha more den once but he most likely WONT c her. She will b getting wut she deserves 2, and itll b Kagome who gives it 2 her (convenient, huh?). just keep reading and u'll get all da blood u want, mwahahahahaha!

**Oreana** im really glad u felt better after u read my story! Hope u get all better soon. Neways yay I found another Kouga & Kikyo hater! We should form a club lol. den we could do all da Kouga and Kikyo bashing we wanted mwahahahahaha!

**Inasane**** Kawaii Shippo-Cha** I cant kill Kouga YET! Den inu wouldn't get 2 beat him up rite? Lol, glad u liked my story.

**justice6891** I'm sry about all da mistakes, maybe I should get my own editor or I think u guys call it a 'beta-reader' or sumthing. Neways, glad u like da fic and Kagome will get her revenge on ALL da people she hates, dun worry! Dere will b more on sesshy soon and I never sed dat rin wouldn't in my fic! grins mysteriously u'll just hafta wate and c…

**KagomeMiko** yes kikyo's a bitch and yes she will pay but dats another chapter… hope u keep reading!

**Jazzy** thx 4 ur positive comments, dey make wanna write more!

**Judif****** yes Inuyasha is sexy and fine! Rofl, glad u liked it and I'll update as soon as I can!

**Sakura Kitsune** yay more fans of my story. Hope I don't disappoint u in dis chappie!

**Cutie Blossom** yeah Sango has a way of knowing things don't she? Lol, Kouga will get his ass kik and not just by Inuyasha, cuz dat wouldn't b much fun would it? I'll update again soon!

**inuyasha-girly-2007** – I'm glad u liked da story, hearing good stuff about dis story (considering its my first one) never gets old. Keep reading!

**Stone Dragon, Ruby** – I will not be held responsible if you die from reading my story. Rofl, j/k j/k! yes yes Kagome is VERY caring, let's just hope dat Inuyasha figures it out soon, lol.

well dats enuf toking 4 now, lol. on with da fic!

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer ** I've sed it b4 so I don't need 2 say it again. U can't make me! #grumbles# fine I DON'T own Inuyasha and I never will... #starts to cry#

**_Chapter Four_**

**__**

**_Nightmares_**

"Kagome's been gone a while," Sango said, looking around the crowded cafeteria. Her friend had gone to find Inuyasha, who hadn't turned up for lunch, half an hour ago.

"I'm sure she's fine," Miroku edged closer to her, "I mean what could possibly happen? She gonna get attacked by a textbook?" Miroku chuckled and Sango hit him in the arm.

"I'm serious!" she said, "What if she got cornered but Kouga? You know how pushy he can be." Kagome had had enough of Kouga and his enlarged ego to last several life times.

"Kagome can handle herself," Miroku replied, "Why do you think Inuyasha spent so many hours training with her?" Sango knew how impatient Inuyasha was, but he never gave up on anything; especially if it involved Kagome. The reason he trained her was so that she could protect herself when he wasn't around.

Inuyasha had been that way ever since he found out that Kagome had been getting beat up by her boyfriend, Hojou Okonosata, in high school. She had started dating Hojou in grade nine because he wouldn't leave her alone. He was always bringing Kagome gifts for no reason, so she went out with him in order to pay him back.

It wasn't until about three months into their pity relationship, as Sango had called it, that Hojou became possessive. He always wanted to know where Kagome was when she wasn't with him; and he would accuse her of cheating on him whenever she talked to another male.

She shivered at the memory that had got her wondering about Kagome's relationship. Kagome, Miroku and Sango had been discussing a science project in the library when Hojou had come out of no where and starting screaming at Kagome. He had said that he had seen her with Inuyasha walking home the day before and was furious about it. She tried to explain that they always walked home together after school but he just would not listen.

Hojou finally grabbed Kagome by the hair and told her that she wasn't allowed to talk to Inuyasha anymore. Then he stormed out of the library, leaving both Sango and Miroku speechless. Kagome didn't say anything for about a minute; then she suddenly stood up and mumbled something about having to go home and look after Souta. She gathered her books and rushed out of the library.

At first Hojou had only yelled at her, but eventually the yelling and screaming changed to kicking and punching. Kagome had pretended that she was just clumsy to hide the bruises because her mother was so hung up on Hojou. But after the scene in the library, Miroku and Sango knew better. They didn't tell Inuyasha though because they knew that Kagome did not want him involved. Plus she didn't want to be responsible of Inuyasha's death, which Hojou had warned Kagome about more than once.

When the bruises and cuts started to get worse, Kagome's friendship with Inuyasha was far from being just threatened. She didn't want him to get hurt by Hojou, so she had tried to distance herself from him. But Inuyasha was not ever one to take no for an answer.

**_FLASHBACK_**

"Ring! Ring!"

The phone in Kagome's room rang as she was recovering from her last encounter with Hojou. He had seen her talking with Miroku earlier today, but he wouldn't believe her when she said it was about homework.

'I'm not surprised, though,' Kagome said to herself, 'He never believes me about anything anymore.' She got up slowly because her ribs hurt from all of the punches he landed. Kagome was actually a good fighter, she just didn't have the heart to stand up to him anymore because it made him hit harder.

"Ring! Ring!"

"Hai, hai, I'm coming!" she grumbled. Kagome didn't really want to talk to anybody right now. She was afraid that if she did, she would break down and reveal everything.

"Ring! Rin—"

"Moshi moshi?" she said, trying to sound casual.

"Kagome, is that you?" a masculine voice said at the other end of the line.

'Oh no! It's Inuyasha!' Kagome started to panic, 'Hojou said that if he ever found out I had talked to Inuyasha again, he'd kill him!'

"Kagome?"

"Uh, hai I'm here," she answered nervously, "What's up?"

"I just thought I'd call to see how you're doing. You've seemed kinda down lately; and we haven't really talked much," Inuyasha said.

"Nani? Iie, daijobou Inuyasha. Everything's fine." Kagome had started pacing around her room, much to her ribs discomfort. She tried to keep her voice level.

"Don't lie to me Kagome." He said sternly, "I've been your best friend since before grade school. I can tell when you're lying." Kagome swallowed hard and sat back down on her bed. This was defiantly not going the way she wanted it to. Kagome was about to deny everything that had just happened but he wasn't finished.

"Please tell me what's bothering you, Kag." His voice softened and her heart wrenched. Kagome longed to tell him everything but she didn't want him to get hurt. She cared about him too much.

"I can't." She whispered into the phone. Kagome wasn't sure if she was talking to him or herself, but he heard anyway.

"What do you mean you can't?" Inuyasha demanded, "You can't or you won't?" Tears were threatening to pour out of Kagome azure eyes.

"Both...neither...onegai Inuyasha, I have to go. I'll talk to you later okay?"

"Iie Kagome!" His voice rose a little, "I'm not letting you go until you tell me what's making you so upset!"

"Gomen Inuyasha," Kagome said quietly and hung up the phone. She couldn't hold back her tears anymore. Kagome just sat on the edge of her bed and let them flow freely down her face.

'Maybe I should just let Hojou kill me.' She thought grimly, 'It would be much easier than lying to my friends and living through this pain day after day.' A clap of thunder shocked her out of her thoughts of despair and Kagome suddenly realised that it was raining.

"At least I'm not the only one feeling this way," Kagome said, almost smiling, "Even the weather seems to agree with my mood." She went over to the window and watched the rain fall, steadily along the ground. The rain could be so relaxing; it didn't dry her tears but it was nice to watch. It hit against Kagome's bedroom window and she reached to open it so she could see better, but then realised that all her things would get wet if she did. Kagome turned around and went to the bathroom because she did not want her mother to come home and see that she had been crying. She reached the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Her eyes were red and swollen and she sighed.

"I hope that Okaa-san has some cucumber in the fridge or I might have to hide in my room for the rest of the day." Kagome said to her reflection. As she turned away from the mirror, she noticed a purple mark on the left side of her jaw. She cringed and lifted her shirt to look at her ribs. They were also covered in blue and purple bruises.

'Guess I won't be swimming any time soon,' Kagome thought, as she walked towards the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and looked around for some cucumber. She found it in the bottom drawer and closed the door. Kagome was getting a cutting board out of the cupboard when she heard a knock at the door. The raven-haired teen just there with the cucumber in her hand and stared at the door. Hojou couldn't know about Inuyasha's phone call could he?

Kagome started to tremble as she inched towards the door. The rain had gotten harder and she jumped as another clap of thunder rippled across the sky. Tears reappeared in fear that she was going have to go through another one of Hojou's jealous beatings. And considering that it was Inuyasha she had talked too, Kagome knew it would be a lot worse than one of his normal beatings; if one could call them that.

The person knocked again and Kagome tried to stop shaking as she reached for the door handle. She turned the knob and braced herself for the worst pounding in her life. When nothing happened, she looked out into the pouring rain and got the shock of a life time. It wasn't Hojou, jealous with rage, who stood on the doorstep. It was Inuyasha. He was standing there in front of her with a concerned look on his face.

"Inu...yasha?" Kagome was in complete disbelief. He was the last person she expected to see on her doorstep, getting wetter by the second. She just kind of stood there with her mouth open, staring at him.

"I told you that I wasn't going to leave you alone and I meant it Kagome," he said, stepping into the house. His eyes were so full of emotion that Kagome started crying all over again. She turned around so he wouldn't see her tears but Inuyasha caught her shoulder and made her face him.

"Stop trying to hide from me Kagome!" Inuyasha's voice hardened, "I know there's something wrong and I want to know why you won't tell me. Don't you trust me?" A sob escaped Kagome's lips and she struggled to get away from him but he was too strong for her. Kagome felt his hand under her chin and he tilted her head up to meet his gaze. Tears were streaming down her face and she wanted to look away but his hand kept her head in place. It was only then that Kagome realised that Inuyasha's amber orbs had become misty. Her eyes widened.

"Onegai, Kagome," he pleaded, "I worry about you too much to leave something that's bothering you this much alone." Her eyes glazed over again and her legs gave out under me. Kagome collapsed into his chest and sobbed into his shirt. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. She held onto his shirt with both hands and continued to cry. Even though he was wet from being outside, she could feel the warmth from his body through his shirt.

'He's so warm,' Kagome thought, blushing slightly, 'And he smells nice...' She just wanted to stay in his arms because he made her feel safe. Her mind drifted. Kagome tried to think of the last time she had been this close to a boy, but the memory escaped her, and somehow she didn't think she had ever been so close. Hojou had held her, in the beginning at least, but not like this. Kagome had never accepted comfort from a male; never let any of her male friends see her cry. She had never let herself need them, but somehow, in this moment, she needed Inuyasha.

Kagome just wanted to feel his arms around her, just for now. She needed the physical strength so obvious in his tall, muscular body; a strength that effortlessly supported her weight, and she needed to be held as tight as he was holding her. She needed to hear his dark-honey voice murmuring to her, needed the reassurance that right now, just for a few moments, she wasn't alone.

'Why didn't Hojou's hugs ever feel like this?' Kagome wondered, 'I feel completely different when I'm with Inuyasha.' She was very confused now, but pushed it to the back of her mind. The emotional storm had left her drained, exhausted, oddly detached.

"Gomen," she said in a damp voice, muffled against his chest.

"S'alright." He shifted a bit and moved his arms down a little. Kagome flinched; he had touched the most sensitive part of her ribs.

"Are you hurt?" Inuyasha asked as he brought her away from his chest. When she didn't say anything, he took matters into his own hands. He lifted up the bottom of her shirt, not so much that he could see her bra, but enough that the bruises on her stomach and sides were perfectly visible. Inuyasha trailed his finger along Kagome's stomach and she flinched again. He then let go of her shirt and took her by the hand as he lead her into the living room. They sat down on the couch and he looked straight into her eyes.

"What's going on Kagome? You've got bruises all over your stomach and sides, plus one on your jaw," he said, "I know you aren't as clumsy as you have claimed to be. Where are you getting all these bruises from?" Kagome took a deep breath and sighed; nothing could get passed Inuyasha.

"Kagome," he prompted. The raven-haired girl looked away and muttered something incoherent.

"Nani?" Inuyasha leaned in closer to her and she repeated herself, only a little louder.

"Hojou," she said knowing that Inuyasha was going to tear a strip off her because she had kept it a secret for so long.

"Hojou?! Your superficial, stuck-up, pretty-boy, I-think-I'm-all-that boyfriend?!" Kagome nodded. Old tears were being replaced by new ones even though she was trying really hard to stop them from forming. Inuyasha still had a hold of her hand so she wasn't able to run away.

"How long has this been going on Kagome?"

"About two months." She replied, still not looking at him.

"Two months? Fucking hell Kagome! Why didn't you tell me?!" Inuyasha growled and Kagome jumped to her feet.

"Because he threatened to kill you if I so much as spoke to you!" she yelled. She was in tears again and her voice lowered, "He threatened to kill you and I wouldn't have been able to bare it if I had been responsible for your pain." Kagome clenched her fists and tried to keep herself from shaking. Her nails dug into her palms as tears once again streamed down her face. Her back was to him, so she didn't hear him get up from the couch.

"You didn't have to face him along, you know." Inuyasha said, putting his arms around her shoulders, "I'll always be here, whether you like it or not." Kagome slowly turn around to face him. He was smiling slightly and she leaned forward to put her head on his chest. Her arms lay limply at her sides and she cried into his shirt again. She just couldn't seem to stop crying and she cursed herself for appearing so weak. Inuyasha didn't seem to mind though; he was slowly drawing circles on her back to calm her down.

"You're my best friend, Inuyasha," Kagome's words were muffled, but she knew he heard her because his grip tightened, "So I refused to let anything happen to you." She inhaled his sent and blushed. Here she was, in the arms of the very person she had sworn she would never go near again in order to protect him. But Kagome didn't care; Inuyasha's arms were the only place that she felt safe at the moment and she wanted to stay there for as long as possible. It also didn't hurt that he smelled so good.

He smelled very masculine and it was intoxicating. His scent reminded her of a lush forest and it assaulted her senses. Kagome found herself surrounded by his inviting warmth and she never wanted to move. He was still circling her back with his fingers and it was sending shivers down Kagome's spine. Her head reeled with all the different emotions that were spinning through her head. They were strange, new emotions that she had never felt before and it almost scared her.

"Kagome, I'd rather get beaten to a pulp by Hojou then never talk to you again." He lowered his arms to her waist, but was careful not to squeeze too hard, "You mean a lot to me too and I'm not gonna stand on the sidelines while you waste away." This time it was Kagome who hugged him harder.

"Arigatou, Inuyasha," she said looking up at him. He brushed her remaining tears away with his thumb and smirked.

"Feh. All I did was let you use my shirt as a towel for your face." Kagome blushed and smiled a little.

"You have to be careful of Hojou though, Inuyasha," she warned, "He's a good fighter."

"Feh, I could beat that little prick into the ground any day." Inuyasha replied with a smirk.

"Care to put a wager on that?" A voice said from the door way. Kagome froze in fear and slowly turned around. She saw a boy with sandy hair standing just inside the living room.

"Hojou..." the raven-haired girl trailed off. He looked livid and it took her a few seconds to remember where she was. Kagome stiffened and jumped out of Inuyasha grasp but he caught her hand and moved in front of her.

"You fucking whore!" Hojou yelled, "I knew you were cheating on me! I should have killed you this morning when I had the chance."

"This morning...?" Inuyasha didn't take his eyes off Hojou, but his question was directed at the girl behind him.

"He left an hour before you called." Kagome whispered, shaking uncontrollably. She knew this was going to happen sooner or later. She just hoped the right man won; because if he didn't, they were both going to die.

"What are you doing here Hojou?" She asked, trying to be strong.

"I came to take you out to the movies, bitch," he spat, "But I can see that you'd rather have a black eye instead." He moved towards her but Inuyasha blocked his path.

"Touch her and die, you piece of shit." Inuyasha snarled, "You'd be the one with the black eye if I had known about this earlier." Hojou just snorted.

"Get serious! You talk big, dog breath, but I've never lost a fight against anyone and I don't intend to start now." He got into a fighting stance and put up his fists.

"Feh, you don't scare me _Hobo_." Inuyasha shot back. Kagome's eyes were going back in forth from Inuyasha and Hojou with worry. She had seen Hojou fight before and he was really talented. Kagome didn't want Inuyasha to get hurt so she stepped out in front of him. Hojou's eyes widened a bit, and she turned to face Inuyasha.

"Onegai Inuyasha, I don't want you to get hurt. Just leave and let me take care of this, I don't care what happens to me as long as you are safe," she pleaded with him. Kagome knew that she probably wouldn't survive Hojou's next beating but she didn't care as long as she could get Inuyasha out of harms way.

"Kagome—" was as far as he got because Hojou grabbed her from behind and threw her onto the couch. He slapped her across the face and towered over her.

"Bitch!" He yelled. Kagome waited for Hojou to hit her again but instead all she saw was him getting thrown against the wall with remarkable force. She stared wide-eyed at Inuyasha as he helped her up from the couch.

"I told you I could beat him into the ground," he said. Kagome's eyes sparkled with wonder. Maybe this fight wouldn't end up the way she had initially thought it would. They both turned at the sound of a cough and saw Hojou getting up from his pot on the floor. He glared at Inuyasha and charged towards him. Inuyasha merely moved out of the way and put out his foot, tripping Hojou. Hojou didn't quite make it to the floor; he spun around and punched Inuyasha in the face.

Inuyasha staggered back a bit before he kicked Hojou out of the living room. He landed with a crash in the kitchen, breaking one of the wooden chairs that were positioned around the table. Inuyasha ran up to Hojou thinking he could land a few punches before Hojou got up but Hojou shot out his leg and spun around, causing Inuyasha to fall to the floor. Hojou jumped up only to have Inuyasha kick him in the face.

Hojou reeled back as Inuyasha got to his feet. He grabbed Hojou's stomach and literally threw him outside. Inuyasha charged out after him into the pouring rain. When Kagome got to the doorway, they were both rolling around on the ground trying to get the upper hand of the fight.

She gasped as Hojou kneed Inuyasha in the stomach. Inuyasha groaned and Hojou was finally able to pin Inuyasha down. The sandy-haired teen sat on top of Inuyasha as he started to punch him, but Inuyasha was able to block the hits. Then he brought his leg up and kicked Hojou off of him. Hojou flew a few feet away from Inuyasha and landed in a puddle. Inuyasha just smirked and got into a fighting stance.

"Had enough yet, _Hobo_?" Inuyasha taunted. Hojou got up and glared at him. They were both covered in mud and soaking wet.

"I should be asking you the same question," Hojou said, a look of pure fury on his face, "Kisama! Kagome is mine; she'd never go for a worthless motherfucker like you." He spat at Inuyasha's feet. Inuyasha growled as the started to circle each other and all Kagome could do was watch helplessly from the doorway leading into my house.

Hojou made the first move and lunged towards Inuyasha. Inuyasha barely had time to move out of the way as Hojou tried to take him down again. Inuyasha spun around and kicked Hojou in the side causing him to go down coughing. Blood was now dripping from Hojou's mouth. He spat the red substance out of his mouth and glared the silver-haired boy. Kagome could tell that Hojou was on the losing end because of the way he struggled to get to his feet.

'This has to end,' she thought to herself, 'I can't stand to see people beat themselves up like this.' She ran out into the rain and positioned herself in between the two. Neither of them looked at her.

"Onegai you guys, enough is enough!" Kagome pleaded to both of them, "You guys are going to rip each other apart if you don't stop this now."

"Kagome, get out of the way." Inuyasha said without breaking eye contact with Hojou, "This guy is going to pay for all the pain he caused you." Kagome saw the determination in his amber orbs and she knew that he wasn't going to back down. Still, she tried to get him to stop fighting.

"Inuyasha you don't have to fight anymore. I can handle this myself. You—" Kagome stopped talking when she saw Inuyasha's look of rage turn to a look of horror.

"Kagome, look out!!!" he yelled. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Kagome turned around to see Hojou only a few feet away from her with an evil smirk on his face. She just stood there, knowing she wouldn't be able move in time. Hojou jumped into the air and spun his leg around to kick her in the head. Her eyes closed and she screamed.

But the impact never came.

Kagome felt two hands on her body as Inuyasha shoved her out of the way. She stumbled to the ground, her hands and knees scraping against the gravel. Her soggy raven hair flew around her face as she watched Hojou's foot make contact with Inuyasha's chest. He went sailing into the bushes head first.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome lay on the ground hoping to see him get up from behind the bushes and smirk as if it was nothing. It didn't happen. She struggled to her feet only to get knocked down again. Hojou stood above her and she looked up in fear. His face was red with fury and rage as he stared down at her. She edged backwards but he grabbed her hair and hauled Kagome to her feet. He grabbed her wrist with his other hand and his grip tightened. She cringed in pain.

"Itai, you're hurting me Hojou. Onegai let me go," she pleaded, her tears mixing with the rain. Hojou took no notice and pulled her towards him. Before Kagome knew what was happening, his mouth crushed hers in a bruising kiss. She thrashed about in order to get away but he had a firm grip on her head.

He put more pressure into the kiss and bit at her lower lip trying to gain access to her mouth but she refused to yield. Kagome could now taste her own blood from Hojou's attempts at deepening the kiss and her tears flowed faster. She guessed he finally realised that she wasn't about to open her mouth to he tried something else. He grabbed the top of her shirt and pulled hard. Kagome heard the buttons of her blouse fly off as she strived to release herself from his iron grip. She felt the rain against her skin as Hojou attempted to remove her shirt.

He finally let go of her wrist only to rip her shirt off her shoulders. Kagome watched as steam poured off her skin. The rain was cold and she struggled to pull her shirt out of his hand, but Hojou's grip was steadfast. Her shoulders were now bare and Hojou's hand started to massage Kagome's breast through her bra. She squirmed and tried to get away; his hands were like poison, hurting her everywhere he touched.

"What's the matter, Higurashi?" Hojou sneered, "You've put out for every other guy, now it's my turn." Kagome whimpered as his hand travelled down her body. This was not the way it was supposed to be. Kagome was scared, but not surprised. She knew something like this was going to happen sooner or later. It was just...when Inuyasha had held her in his arms a spark of hope had formed in her heart. Hope that all the pain she had gone through was over. Kagome gave up fighting as Hojou started undoing her pant buckle. There was just no point anymore.

"Get...the fuck...away...from her." Kagome jumped at the sudden noise and froze. Hojou turned his head towards the bushes and his eyes widened in shock. Inuyasha stood at full height and his eyes seemed to flash red. The rain hit against his silver hair, giving him a god-like appearance.

Hojou let his prey go and Kagome fell to the ground. Hojou took a few steps back as Inuyasha ran at him. Inuyasha hit him so hard that he soared across the gravel path and hit the Goshinboku. The braches of the large tree swayed slightly and a few leaves floated down to the ground. Kagome heard Hojou cry out when he made contact with the five hundred year old tree and he didn't get up. Then she looked up at Inuyasha.

The golden-eyed boy was blushing and it took Kagome a moment to realise she was giving him a very nice view of her body. She wrapped her arms around her chest in order to shield herself from his gaze. Her eyes were clamped together tightly and she tried not to cry. Suddenly she felt something touch her skin. Her eyes fluttered open to see Inuyasha covering her with his jacket. The warmth was incredible and it wasn't until then that Kagome noticed she had been shivering. Inuyasha's scent assaulted her senses and she felt her own face going red.

'It smells like him.' Kagome thought to herself, pulling his jacket tighter around her wet body. Inuyasha helped the drenched girl to her feet and gave her a small hug.

"Arigatou," she said. He blushed again and turned to where Hojou was lying on the ground. He walked up to the moaning boy with Kagome on his heels and stepped over the small fence encircling the Goshinboku. Hojou was barely conscious, but he was awake enough to feel Inuyasha yank him up by his collar and shove him against the tree.

"If you ever, _ever_ come near Kagome again," Inuyasha ground out, "I will kill you." Hojou stared back at Inuyasha with fear in his eyes and nodded slightly. Then, Inuyasha let him go and he crumpled to the ground. Kagome just stood there and watched Hojou slowly get to his feet and limp away. They watched him disappear down the shrine steps and out of their lives, hopefully for good.

She turned to Inuyasha and was about to thank him again when he slumped against her. Kagome suddenly realised how much the fight and the rain had taken out of him so she slid her arm around his waist and lead him inside. She held him tightly and careful helped him up to her bedroom. After Kagome had comfortably placed him on her bed, she went to the hall closet and got them both some towels.

When Kagome got back to her room, Inuyasha was leaning against the backboard of her bed. His long silver hair was dampening her sheets but Kagome didn't care. She was just glad he was alright. He turned to her as she entered and accepted the towel she handed to him.

"Daijobouka?" he asked, drying his long silver hair, "I didn't push you down too hard did I?" Kagome looked at him and laughed.

"You're the one who got kicked into the bushes." She said, "Arigatou Inuyasha, for protecting me and standing up to Hojou. Gomen for not telling you sooner, demo...I was too afraid." She clasped his hand in hers and smiled. Inuyasha's eyes glowed and stared into her own.

'Sugoi, anyone could get lost in those golden pools.'

"I would do anything to make you smile like you are now Kag," he said, smiling, "In fact, I think that's the first time I've heard you laugh in months. You need to do it more often." Kagome blushed and lowered her eyes. When she looked back up, Inuyasha had closed his eyes and his breathing had evened out.

'He's asleep. Well who could blame him? He's been through a lot today; and all because of me.' the raven-haired girl thought to herself. Kagome squeezed his hand and then stood up. She wrapped her blanket around him and went to her closet to find some dry clothes to change into. She paused at the door and whispered "Arigatou, Inuyasha." before leaving the room.

**_END FLASHBACK_**

Sango shivered again. Kagome had briefly told her about what had happened the day that Hojou had gotten his ass kicked by Inuyasha; and they were all glad he did. Kagome slowly become her cheerful self again and everything seemed to return to normal. That is, until Kikyou came to live with the Higurashi's. Sango scanned the cafeteria again but there was no sign of Kagome or Inuyasha, which was weird because lunch was almost over. She turned to Miroku with a frown.

"Where do you think Kagome and Inuyasha are?" Sango asked, "You don't think they're in any sort of trouble, do you?"

"My dear Sango," Miroku gushed, "You worry too much. Don't you like being here with me?" He made a puppy face and she laughed.

'You have no idea.' Sango thought to herself, "It's not you that I worry about Miroku, it's your hands." He had a habit of letting his hands wander to the wrong places which usually ended up with her slapping him. She'd never admit it out loud, but Sango secretly liked all the attention Miroku gave her.

"I can't help it! My hands are attracted to beautiful things," she blushed and looked down. Sango hated it when he did that because she had no defence for it. At least when he touched her, she could hit him back.

"Arigatou Miroku demo—" Sango was cut off by the sound of sirens outside. The cafeteria had suddenly gone very quiet and it felt as if time had stopped. She jumped out of her seat so fast that her chair fell to the floor with a crash. Something was very wrong and she had a gut feeling it had to do with the two people who were supposed to be sitting at their table.

Miroku rose as well and gave Sango a concerned look. She nodded and they raced out of the cafeteria and headed towards the front of the school. They ran down the hall and flung the main doors open to see an ambulance with its sirens blaring in the parking lot. Kagome was standing beside a stretcher with a far away look on her face.

"Kagome!" Sango yelled, as they ran over to her, "Kagome, what's going on?" Kagome didn't answer, only motioned to the stretcher and Sango gasped. There lay a very badly beaten Inuyasha, pale as the snow on the ground.

"What happened?" Miroku asked, stunned at the sight before him.

"I found him behind the school." Kagome answered, her voice was strained, "He's been stabbed and hasn't woken up yet." She was just standing there, shivering. Inuyasha's hand was clasped in hers and Sango could tell that she was really worried. She took off her jacket and placed it around Kagome shoulders.

The paramedics were preparing to put him in the back of the ambulance when Sango finally realised a crowd had gathered around them. Everyone was whispering, obviously creating their own interpretation of what happened. Inuyasha was placed firmly into the ambulance and one of the paramedics turned to Kagome.

"Do you want to ride in here?" he asked sympathetically. But before Kagome could answer, someone pushed passed all of us.

"Oh my poor Inuyasha! What happened? Please let me rise with him!" Kikyou pleaded before getting into the ambulance. Sango wanted to smack her; how dare she? Kagome just stood there in shock as the doors to the ambulance closed and it started to pull out of the parking lot. Sango could tell that Kagome was going to kill Kikyou the next time she saw her.

"Bitch." Kagome muttered under her breath, "That bitch!!! I'm going to tear her fucking lungs out!" Everyone seemed to take a step back as Kagome cursed her cousin.

"Kagome..." Sango tried to calm her down.

"Don't Sango, it won't help." She turned away from her friend and was about to head back to the school when a sleek black Mercedes pulled up in front of them. Sango stared in disbelief as Miroku opened the passenger door.

"Come on you two!" Miroku said from inside the car, "The hospital isn't that far away and I'm not about to leave my friend at a time like this." Kagome's eyes became shiny and she got into the back of the car. Sango got into the passenger seat and shut the door as Miroku took off after the ambulance.

"Arigatou Miroku." Kagome said.

"No problem Kagome." Miroku shifted gears and sped up. Sango looked back at the girl in the back seat and frowned. Kagome was sitting with her hands in her lap, staring out the window. She had so many emotions written on her face it was hard to keep track.

'I wonder what really happened,' the coffee-haired woman thought to herself. Sango wasn't about to ask Kagome, she had enough on her mind, but she knew Inuyasha wasn't one to get beat up that easily.

It took them a little longer to get to the hospital than they would have liked because of all the traffic. Miroku quickly parked the car and the three of them all rushed to the emergency room looking for Inuyasha. The secretary said he was in the process of being moved from the ER to a regular room on the third floor. They got in the elevator and Kagome pushed the button that would take them to Inuyasha's room.

The doors opened and they bolted from the elevator down the hall. They turned the corner to find a doctor coming out of Inuyasha's room. They all skidded to a halt in front of him.

"Is he alright doctor?" Kagome asked, worry written all over her face.

"You friends of his?" The doctor looked at them sceptically. They all nodded their heads, "Well I've got good news and bad news." Sango heard Kagome inhale quickly; she reached over and squeezed her friend's hand. Kagome looked over at Sango and gave her a small smile.

"Well?" Miroku prompted the doctor, "What's the good news?"

"The good news is that Inuyasha hasn't suffered any major injuries. He needed stitches in his side but nothing too serious." Sango let out the breath she didn't even realized she'd been holding. Inuyasha was going to be alright; wait a minute...did he say good and bad news?

"What's the bad news?" Sango asked. She hoped it was going to be something along the lines of he was going to have to stay at the hospital for a few days or something. The doctor turned his head towards the closed door and sighed. Kagome, Miroku and Sango stood there waiting for him to answer the question they were all dreading. Finally he turned back to face them with a grim look on his face.

"He's in a coma."

#-#-#

Moshi moshi – hello (telephone)

Daijobou – it's okay

Itai - ouch

#ducks from rotten tomatoes# HAH missed me! #SPLAT# Ew... #wipes tomato juice off her face# guess u didn't like dat huh? O wel, it's my story and I can end in it a big cliff hanger if a want to #sticks out her tongue# Lol, sry I took so long but school's being a bitch and I've had a lot to do. I hope u guys like dis chapter, let's hear it for all the Hojo haters!!! If ne of u actually DO like him den 2 bad cuz I do NOT so he gets 2 b beat up by Inuyasha. Mwahahahahahaha!!! Dis is where da real story starts and I hope u guys will keep reading and giving me feedback! It helps inspire me! And remember, more reviews faster updates!

--Sereia


	6. Bonded Souls

hey guys! I'm back after, wut? 3 weeks? Lol sry guys but I have had SO much 2 do and I haven't been able 2 even start the new chap. I NOW how impatient u all are (I've got all da reviews 2 prove it, THX!) so here finally is da next chapter and I'm sry 2 say dat inu won't b waking up 4 a while. Just hold ur horses and bare w/ it, ok? O btw I've bin getting so many reviews dat I've stopped replying 2 dem all inda new chaps. Da only 1z I'm going 2 comment on r da 1z dat either ask questions or state particular comments. So don't feel neglected if I don't have anything 2 say 2 u ok?

**Junsei**** Hyakuhei** sry I can't do dat rite now cuz den she wouldn't get shit beat out of her rite?

**Chibi-Kerochan** yes inu will wake up but just not yet. If u haven't already guessed, I am a TOTAL inu&kag fan so u most likely wont see anything else couple wise but u'll just hafta wate 2 see wut happens!

**Kilanna** #uses Sango's Hiraikotsu to reflect sharp objects# HAH take dat! Rofl, sry it took me so long 2 update. Try 2 let me stay alive long enuf 2 finish da story, 'kay?

**Sleep walking chicken and HAP** #pretends to cower in fear at sight of fiery reviewer and then pulls out water balloons. Reviewer starts to scream hysterically and runs as Angel pelts reviewer with water ballons.# mwahahahaha. Never underestimate me lol. Kikyo wil die or wutever soon enuf, u'll just hafta wate. Btw I went 2 ur site or wutever and all I hafta say is: "FUSHIGI YUUGI KIX ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!" lol I just finished watching da whole season and it's really gude so I'm glad I'm not da only 1 watching it when I'm s'posta b doing other stuff lol.

**Inu Sasha** ur name is kawaii lol. Da only thing about da 3some thing is dat wut if Kikyo got pregnant? Den we'd have little Kikyos and Kougas and Hojos running around #Gets out acid filled water ballons and throws them at Kikyo, Kouga and Hojo, who begin to melt.# mwahahahahaha now we wil finaly b rid of u!!!!!! #Cries of agony echo through Sereia's room#

**ladykaa28 ** I noe, I noe… Kagome should have kiked kikyo's ass and got in2 da ambulance but den Kikyo would have shown up AFTER Kagome got there and den she would have bin in da room w/ Kagome and Inuyasha and dat would b bad lol. I think I'll get Kagome 2 pull a prank on Kikyo doe… maybe dye in her shampoo or sumthing like dat mwahahahaha

**lindy****girl** 'feed me' rofl dats a gude idea. Maybe I should do da Inuyasha version of dat and have dose 3 eaten. Lol

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer** yeah wutever, I don't own Inuyasha...jeez, u guys ask me 2 update so soon and y'all expect me 2 write about stuff like dis? --;;

**_Chapter Five_**

**__**

**_Bonded Souls_**

'A coma?' Kagome looked at the doctor in horror, 'No, he had to be mistaken. I just talked to Inuyasha this morning, how could he be in a coma?' She just stared at the man in white before her, not really seeing him.

"A coma? How did that happen?" Miroku asked, looking just as shocked.

"Tetsusaiga-san has suffered a very bad blow to the head," the doctor said solemnly, "There isn't any brain damage; but there also isn't any indication when or if he's going to wake up." Miroku's eyes got wider. Kagome was looking at the floor now and began to shake. She just couldn't believe that she wasn't going to hear Inuyasha's voice anytime soon.

"Kagome, I think you should sit down." Sango put her hand on her friend's shoulder. Kagome raised her eyes to meet Sango's and saw the concerned look on her face. Kagome clenched her hands and shook her head.

"Iie."

"Demo Kagome—"

"Iie!" Kagome started to shake again, this time with anger, "I'm not going to sit down! Inuyasha's in a fucking coma and I can't do anything about it!" She tore from Sango's grip and ran down the hall, tears streaming down her face. She somehow found a bathroom and slipped into a stall. Then she locked the door and curled up on top of the toilet. Kagome just sat there and hugged herself.

"He's in a coma..." she kept murmuring to herself, "He's in a coma and I can't help him." In all her life, Kagome had never felt as helpless as she did now. She and Inuyasha had always looked out for each other and helped each other through the rough times.

"Gomen Inuyasha. I wasn't there for you when I should have been. Gomen!" She cried, burying her face in her arms. She soaked the sleeve of her shirt with her tears, but she didn't care. Huge sobs wracked her body and the raven-haired woman collapsed to the floor. She beat on the tiles with her fist and sobbed even harder.

It wasn't fair, she thought to herself. She was supposed to protect him and she had failed. Now he was lying in a hospital bed, bruises and cuts colouring his beautiful body. She let out another choked sob. If she ever found out who did this to Inuyasha, she was going to kill him. Kagome was crying so hard that she didn't hear Sango enter the bathroom until she knocked on the stall door.

"Kagome?" she asked. Kagome froze mid-sob. The bathroom fell silent, Kagome's heavy breathing the only sound.

"Kagome I know how you feel. I mean Inuyasha's my friend too and—" Kagome didn't let her finish. She leapt to her feet and pulled the door open. She pushed past her friend, not making eye contact. Walking up to the counter, Kagome bent over, allowing her long bangs to cover her azure eyes. Her hands were on the edge of the counter, her knuckles white.

"No you don't know! Were you the one who found him lying in his own blood in the snow? No. Were you the one Kikyou pushed out of the way in order to get into the ambulance? No." Kagome was so angry she felt like hitting something. She pounded her fist on the counter and closed her eyes. "You have no idea what I'm feeling right now...no idea..." She trailed off.

Kagome started to cry again and had to hold onto the counter in order to stay upright. Crystal tears slid down her cheeks and she let out a choked sob. Then she felt someone's hands on her shoulders and suddenly she was facing Sango. She hugged Kagome tight as the sapphire-eyed woman wrapped her arms around her and sobbed into Sango's shirt.

"Shh, shhh," she said, "It's okay, he's going to be fine." Her voice soothed Kagome and her sobs became more controlled.

"How do you know?" Her voice was muffled by Sango's shoulder.

"Well, if you hadn't run off, then you would know too." Sango brought her out to arms length and looked her straight in the eye. "The doctor said that besides the fact that he's in a coma, Inuyasha is fine. He had a few bruises, stitches in his side and a sprained ankle but other then that he's in perfect health." Kagome stared at Sango with hope in her eyes and wiped her face with her sleeve.

"Hontou?"

"Yes, really. Now would you like to go see him? He's got his own room; I guess that's what you get for being the son of one the wealthiest men in the country." Sango laughed and Kagome smiled a little. She really was not that surprised that Inuyasha had his own room. He was quite well known through his father, Tashio Tetsusaiga.

Tashio had been always been a very caring person in all the years Kagome had known him. He had a sweet face that had made her feel warm and welcome. His long silver hair much resembled Inuyasha's, as well as his golden eyes. After Kagome's own father died in a car crash when she was five, Tashio became the father she never had. His genuine acceptance of everyone made him a pleasure to be around. But that had all ended seven years ago.

**_FLASHBACK_**

"Oi Kagome!" A fifteen year old Inuyasha waved at his best friend from the steps of Hakodoushi High School. Kagome turned around and her face lit up as she saw him. She smiled and waved back. The silver-haired boy ran up to his friend. Her raven hair blew in the wind and she tucked it behind her ear in order to control it but it was to no avail. She finally gave up and faced the opposite way the wind was blowing. Her long raven locks flew behind her and Inuyasha laughed.

"You should really tie your hair back, Kagome," he said. She glared at him and stuck out her tongue. This just made him laugh even harder. Then he adjusted the bag on his back and they started walking down the street, side by side.

"Where's Sango today?" he asked. It was usually the three of them walking home after school until they got to the local elementary school. Then Souta and Kohaku would join them until they went their separate ways. Kagome shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know." Then she grinned. "Maybe Miroku finally worked up enough courage to ask her out on a date."

"Feh, I doubt it. He might have the guts to feel up every female he passes, but when it comes to Sango, he's totally whipped!" Kagome nodded and giggled.

"So how was your day?" she asked him.

"Normal. I didn't get too much homework, which means my weekend will be pretty free."

"Hai, same here."

"You have any plans for tonight?" Kagome asked as they neared the place where there had to split up. Inuyasha lived in one of the large houses on Kyofu Drive while Kagome lived on her family's shrine. They lived about twenty minutes away from each other using the main road. But they usually just cut through the small forest behind Kagome's house which was much faster.

"Iie." Inuyasha said. He noticed that Kagome's cheeks were a bit red and he put his hand to her forehead. "You okay, Kagome? Your face is a little flushed, you aren't getting a fever or anything are you?" Kagome took a step back and shook her head.

"I-Iie." Her eyes went to the ground and Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. She shook her head again and then smile up at him. "So, are you busy tonight?"

"Nope."

"You wanna come over for a bit?"

"Sure." Kagome's eyes seemed to light up and she put her arm around his. They turned onto her street and soon came to the steps that led up to her house. Inuyasha heaved a sigh as they ascended up the mountain-like staircase.

"Why can't you live in a regular house?" Inuyasha complained, earning a giggle from Kagome. She glanced over her shoulder at him.

"Because this shrine has been passed down through the generations and Ojii-chan doesn't like a lot of noise." Inuyasha groaned again and Kagome grabbed his hand. A spark of electricity went through Inuyasha's body and he almost pulled away. Warmth was emitting from her skin and a blush formed across Inuyasha's cheeks. Kagome continued to pull him along until they reached the top.

"I don't know how you can stand to do that everyday." Inuyasha said. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Oh please! You're not even breathing hard."

"So?"

"So, don't complain." Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders and followed Kagome along the dirt path and then into the house. He took his shoes off and was about to follow Kagome up to her room when her mother came out of he kitchen with a serious look on her face.

"Okaa-san? Doushite?" Kagome asked, noticing her mother's expression. She wasn't looking at Kagome; her eyes bore into Inuyasha's and then she spoke.

"Ano, Inuyasha, I just got of the phone with your mother. She needs you at home right away."

"Did she say why?" The older woman shook her head.

"Iie. But she seemed very upset about something. I suggest you hurry home."

"H-hai, I'll take the short cut though the forest." He looked at Kagome; she stood wide-eyed in front of him and he smiled. "It's probably nothing. I'll be back in a little while, ne?"

"Hai." Inuyasha nodded and then bowed to Kagome's mother. He put his shoes back on and headed out the door, wondering what had caused his mother to want hi home so early. He usually stayed out late on Fridays anyways, and he was surprised that his mother had known to call Kagome's home instead of his cellular phone. He walked into the forest and quickened his pace. An uneasy feeling had formed in the back of his mind and he wanted to get home as soon as possible.

#-#-#

Kagome looked up from her bed. She had finished the little bit of homework she'd had hours ago and was now reading a book she had borrowed from the library. Inuyasha had not come back so she figured something big had happened at home. She shivered a little and rubbed her arms.

'I hope everything is alright,' she thought to herself as she glanced at her digital clock. Ten o'clock, six hours since Inuyasha had left her house. She wanted to call him but figured it was too late now. Putting the book down, Kagome stretched and pulled back the covers. She walked to the bathroom and splashed some water over her face. Her reflection showed small circles forming under her eyes and she sighed.

"School is too stressful," she gently dried her face with a towel and ran a hand through her hair. Then she stripped off her clothes and stepped into the bathtub. Within minutes hot water was running over her body and Kagome sighed again, this time in satisfaction. She washed her hair with her favourite shampoo and the scent of strawberries assaulted her senses.

She rinsed the shampoo out of her hair and turned off the water. Reaching for a towel as she stepped out of the shower, she quickly dried herself off and put on a pair of yellow shorts and a matching tank top. It was starting to get warm again so Kagome was able to ditch the usual sweatpants and wear something lighter.

She was drying her hair when she heard something tap against her window. Her face scrunched up in confusion and she opened the bathroom door. Kagome walked over to her window and looked out into the night. She figured it was just the wind blowing through the trees. Her room was on the second floor of the house and so the braches were within reach of her only window.

Kagome squinted out into the darkness and gold met sapphire. She let out a small gasp and jumped back as the form of Inuyasha appeared at her window. His silver hair was being blown about the wind, but he didn't seem to notice. In fact, Kagome couldn't see any expression on his face what so ever. His eyes were blank, void of all emotion.

"Inu...yasha?" Kagome quickly unlatched her window and let the boy in. He stepped over the window sill but at the last moment his foot caught, sending him flying. Kagome got to him just in time and stopped him from making a full face plant into the floor. Inuyasha made no noise.

"Inuyasha, daijobouka?" Kagome was starting to get worried. "What happened?" Inuyasha's golden orbs stared beyond her, unfocused. She clung onto his sleeves and shook him a little but he didn't respond. Inuyasha continued to stare overtop of her head and Kagome's body filled with dread.

"Inuyasha," she said his name again, trying to pull him out of his trance-like state. "Inuyasha, what's wrong? What happened? Come on, talk to me." Inuyasha's arms suddenly wrapped around her and Kagome's eyes widened. Her body was right up against his and heat was pouring off of him. She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes.

Something was terribly wrong. Kagome had never seen him like this and it was starting to scare her. Inuyasha's arms tightened around her and Kagome's couldn't have moved even if she wanted to, which she didn't. She felt calm and serene in Inuyasha's arms and if she had a choice, she would never leave his embrace. Kagome's eyes fluttered open and she was about to speak when a drop of water fell on her cheek.

Kagome's head whipped up and she stared at the silver-haired teen. A small line of water ran down Inuyasha's cheek and her eyes widened even more. Was he...crying? Kagome let go of his shirt and reached up to touch his face. He flinched at the contact before clenching his eyes closed.

"He's gone," he whispered, his voice barely audible. Kagome frowned in confusion and cupped Inuyasha's cheek in her palm.

"Who is? Who's gone?" she asked. Inuyasha shuttered and his grip tightened again. He buried his face in her hair and Kagome had to steady herself in order to keep from falling over.

"M-My...f-father..." His voice was muffled but his words hit Kagome clear as day. She struggled for breath and time seemed to stand still. "He was h-hit...by a t-truck...and I-I...didn't even get to s-say...I didn't get to say goodbye." Inuyasha's legs finally gave out and both he and Kagome slunk to the floor. His arms were around her waist as he sought comfort and reassurance. Her arms wound around his shoulders and she clung to him as he sobbed.

Tears started to pour down her own cheeks and Kagome's head bent over. It wasn't true...it couldn't be true...he was the only father she remembered. And now...now he was gone. Just like that. She would never see him again; never see his smile or hear his voice.

"Kami, Inuyasha I'm so sorry..." Her voice cracked and she began to sob. Inuyasha slid down into her lap, his arms still around her waist. Tears flowed from his eyes and ran down Kagome's legs. She felt his body convulse, and she tried to keep herself from shaking. It didn't work. She started to shiver and held onto Inuyasha with all the strength she could fathom.

**_END FLASHBACK_**

Kagome didn't know how long they had stayed like that but eventually they had moved to her bed and fallen asleep into each other's comforting embrace. Inuyasha had woken many times during the night in a cold sweat and Kagome had had to use soothing words to calm him down. His father's death had been a big shock to them both, along with the rest of their families.

It had been the one and only time Kagome had seen Inuyasha cry. His tough front didn't allow him to let go of such pure emotions and Kagome knew how hard it was for him to keep it together. He had not even cried at his mother's funeral three years after his father's tragic accident. For some reason, Kagome knew he knew that she was now in a better place.

It had been torture for Inuyasha's mother. She never really got over the death of her husband and had slowly wasted away. No one was able to reach her, not even Inuyasha. She had died peacefully in her sleep and Kagome could almost feel her release on the world. Inuyasha, in a sense had been grateful because he had not been able to bear seeing his mother in so much pain.

The only thing that had bothered him was the countless number of people, both men and women, that flocked to him because of his new found status. With his parents gone, the family fortune was left to him and his only sibling, Sesshomaru.

"I'm surprised the room didn't have his name engraved on the door." Sango continued and then shook her head. "Actually on second thought I'm not. He wouldn't have wanted his fan club to bother him. They'd probably rip off all his clothes and take pictures of his naked body. Then the real desperate ones would probably steal any money he had on him."

Inuyasha had never flaunted his wealth; he never had the need too. Woman had flocked to him like a bee to honey since he was a teenager; although, they would have been attracted to him even if he was dead poor. Kagome imagined Inuyasha in rags, begging for money and giggled. Sango gave her a strange look, which made her giggle more.

"I don't understand you," she said with a sigh, "One minute you're crying your eyes out and yelling at me and the next you're giggling like mad. What's so funny?"

"Poor Inuyasha...in rags..." Kagome sputtered. Sango burst out laughing and Kagome immediately joined in. By the time they were done, both women were bending over in pain with tears of laughter in their eyes.

"I wish I could see that." Sango said, passing Kagome a tissue to wipe her face yet again. The raven-haired woman took the tissue and turned to look in the mirror. There was hardly any make-up left, so she turned on the water and splashed her whole face. The cool water felt good on her flushed skin. Kagome used the tissue to rid herself of any leftover mascara and grabbed a paper towel to dry herself off.

Sango took her hand as Kagome tossed the paper towel in the garbage and led her back to the room Inuyasha was in. Kagome stopped right before Sango opened the door and pulled her back.

"Ano...Sango? _She's_ not in there is she? I don't feel like facing anyone like her right now." Actually, Kagome didn't feel like facing anyone at all. It wasn't as bad when Kikyou put her down at school; she always had her defences up. But she was too drained to deal with her cousin's badgering right now. Sango gave Kagome's hand a squeeze and shook her head.

_Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the sun does not appear_

"Iie, she left after you ran off. Said something about hating hospitals." Sango turned around and opened the door. Kagome's eyes took a minute to adjust to the dim lighting before she was able to see the pale figure in the bed beside Miroku. Miroku had moved a chair and was sitting right beside the bed, but she hardly noticed him. She was focused on the silvered-haired man lying in the bed at the back of the room. He almost looked as if he was asleep but as Kagome got closer, she noticed the tubes that were sticking out of his body.

_I will be here_

"Inuyasha," she whispered. Miroku got up from his chair and motioned to it with his hand. Kagome sat down and for a minute she just sat there looking at Inuyasha, tears threatening to spill again. Then she reached out and clasped his hand in hers.

_If in the dark we loose sight of love, hold my hand and have no fear_

"I'm sorry I was too late." Kagome's voice was scarcely above a whisper and a single tear trickled down her cheek. She heard footsteps moving away from the bed and she turned her head to look at her two friends.

_I will be here_

"Call me later, ne?" Sango said before she and Miroku disappeared. The door clicked into place and Kagome resumed her position. She squeezed Inuyasha's hand a little harder. There was no sound in the room except for the beeping of his heart monitor.

_I will be here when you feel like being quiet_

It was not until then that Kagome realised how much she wanted to hear his voice. Just to here his usual "Feh." would be enough, but she knew she was kidding herself. She knew that she was not going to hear it any time soon.

_When you need to speak your mind, I will listen_

Kagome's eyes wandered to his chest and stayed there while she watched the steady movement of his breathing. She had been so scared when she had first seen him lying in the snow. She had thought he was dead and a shudder ran down her spine as she thought about it.

_And I will be here when the laughter turns to crying_

Kagome started crying again at the thought that she could still loose him. Inuyasha was so important to her and he didn't even know how much. He could be so ignorant about so many things that it was a wonder why he was one of the brightest students in school.

_Through the winning, losing and trying we'll be together_

'No matter what, Inuyasha,' Kagome thought to herself, 'I'm going to find out who did this to you and make him pay.' The anger started to grow inside her again then it was replaced with a sudden fear. What if it had been only one person? If one person had been able to get the better of Inuyasha, she didn't have much chance in getting revenge.

_Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the future is unclear_

'I'm never going to leave your side,' she thought, 'School is the only thing that is going to make me move from this spot.' Kagome planned to come here everyday after class was over so she would be able to see him and tell him about what was going on during the day; as if he were awake listening to her.

_I will be here_

She knew how strong Inuyasha was so Kagome was not really worried about him never waking up. He would and then she would be able to hear his deep, soothing voice again. Kagome suddenly remembered an old saying her mother had told her when Kagome was young.

"You never know how much you love something until it's gone." How right she was. Kagome really missed the sound of his voice.

_As sure as seasons are made for change, our lifetimes are made for years_

Kagome loved everything about him. How his long silver hair would fly around him on a windy day. How his mere presence calmed and excited her at the same time. How he went out of his way to make sure she was okay.

_I will be here_

"I just talked you this morning and already I miss the sound of your voice." Kagome said aloud as her eyes went misty. It still had not sunken in that he was in a coma. No matter how many times she told him how much she missed him or his voice, he wasn't going to suddenly wake up and engulf her in his arms.

_I will be here, you can cry on my shoulder_

Kagome wiped a tear away angrily, "What am I thinking? You're going to be alright; I know how strong you are." He was always the one to lend his shoulder for her to cry on. Inuyasha was probably one of the few men who would actually stick around when a girl cried. Kagome knew he hated to see any woman cry so he was always trying to make her feel better when she was upset.

_When the mirror tells us we're older_

"You look like you're just sleeping," she said, holding his one hand between her two, "Like you're going to wake up any minute and say your usual 'Feh.', as if being the hospital is nothing big."

_I will hold you_

Kagome would have given anything to be able to go back to their discussion at his locker. She would have told him not to go outside or even have gone with him. Then she would have been able too kick whose ever ass did this to him.

_And I will be here when the laughter turns to crying_

'All I need now is for Kikyou and her friends to walk in.' Kagome sighed, 'They'd have a real good laugh at me, considering Kikyou probably told them how she was able to steal Inuyasha from right under my nose.'

_Through the winning, losing and trying, we'll be together_

"If you only knew what she's really like, Inuyasha. Maybe then you'd see how much more I care about you. She only asked you out to get back at me for that musical thing...and everything else I can do and she can't."

_I will be true, to the promise I have made to you and to the one who gave to me_

"I know you can hear me, Inuyasha," Kagome stared at his unmoving form, "Please promise me that you're going to come back to me. I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to you."

_I will be here_

"If I stay here with you will you promise me that? Onegai?" She looked at him with hope in her eyes, "I need you here with me, to hear your voice again."

_Just as sure as seasons are made for change_

A yawn escaped Kagome's lips and she blushed. She guessed the adrenaline was wearing off because she was starting to have trouble keeping her eyes open.

_Our lives are made for years_

'Stay strong, Inuyasha.' Kagome wiped a final tear from her cheek and lay her head down on the bed beside him.

_I will be here and we'll be together_

She closed her eyes and realized just how tired she really was. Kagome figured that no one would mind if she rested a while. She looked up at Inuyasha one last time and three words passed her lips before sleep completely claimed her.

"I'll protect you."

_I will be here_

#-#-#

About an hour later a nurse walked into Inuyasha's room. She saw the sleeping woman by his side and smiled.

"You hurry and wake up, ya hear?" she said to the silver-haired man, "Don't wanna keep you're pretty little girlfriend here worrying about you. Almost thought I'd hafta put her in a bed. Gave us all quite a shock, poor thing." The nurse went over to a small closet and pulled out a thick blanket. She then walked over to the girl resting on the chair and draped it over her shoulders. It would keep her warm; considering that what the young woman was wearing was soaking wet in certain spots and the fact that it was snowing again.

After she made sure the blanket was not going to fall off, the nurse went about her business. She checked the patient's heart monitor and blood pressure in case anything had gone wrong. People who were in comas were very unpredictable so they had to constantly be watched. Everything seemed to be in order so she cast one last look at the loving couple before exiting the room.

'Sleep well,' she thought before she silently closed the door so neither of them would be disturbed.

#-#-#

"Where am I?" Inuyasha looked around but all he could see was mist. He couldn't even see five feet in front of him and it was pissing him off. It was like being blind but instead of darkness, all he saw was white. He started walking in a random direction, trying to make some sense of where he was.

"Oi!" Inuyasha called into the fog, "Is anyone there?" He continued to walk for what seemed like hours, getting no where. He wasn't just pissed now, he was royally pissed. Where the fuck was he and how the fuck was he supposed to get out?! Inuyasha wanted to find Kouga and beat the shit out of him.

"That bastard," he muttered under his breath. He was going to pay when Inuyasha found him. He grinned at the thought of beating the dark-haired man up by himself just to show him how much a better fighter he was. Still wandering around aimlessly, Inuyasha focused his thoughts on what exactly he was going to do to Kouga when he got his hands on him.

"You don't see anything." Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks. He had thought he had been alone so he had let his guard down. Inuyasha felt like smacking himself in the head. Instead, he took heed of his surroundings, which was a whole lot of nothing, and let his senses come to life.

"Who's there?"

"You don't see anything, even if it's right in front of you," the voice repeated. Inuyasha spun around to where the voice was coming from, but didn't see anything.

"Who are you?" he asked again. He was not in the mood for games. He needed to find a way out of this stupid mist and fast.

"I can't believe you haven't noticed." The voice sounded calm, yet Inuyasha could sense...sadness. The voice sounded disappointed some how and suddenly Inuyasha wanted to know why. The voice sounded female and oddly familiar. Inuyasha stood still so he could hear better. He needed to figure out who this person was.

"Haven't noticed what?" he asked.

"What's right in front of you," the figureless voice stated. Inuyasha had turned around in a full circle but still had not seen anyone.

"Feh! I can't see much of anything in this fog," he said, smirking.

"Same old Inuyasha. You always were the sarcastic one." The tone of the voice lightened and he realised how much more he liked the voice when it was happy. Then suddenly something it had said clicked in his mind.

"How do you know my name?" Inuyasha asked, glaring into the mist.

"How could I not?" The voice came from directly behind him and Inuyasha whirled around to find the figure of a woman in front of him. She was wearing a purple cloak made out of satin with a hood so he couldn't see her eyes. She looked so mysterious and yet familiar at the same time that Inuyasha's face scrunched up. In the back of his mind he knew who this person was. It just was not clicking. Inuyasha did not let himself dwell on it though; he was still annoyed because she was not helping him find a way out of the damn fog.

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" Inuyasha asked again, "And do you know a way out of this damn mist?" The woman's lips curved into a smile and she laughed.

Inuyasha wish she hadn't done that.

Her laugh was like a beam if light that cut through the mist. It was bright and carefree and yet had the sense of maturity. Inuyasha stood a step back in confusion, his golden eyes widening.

'I know that laugh. Where have I heard it before?' he thought to himself. The woman's whole aura was familiar, as if it were a part of him that had gone missing. He stared at the woman as she spoke.

"A friend, I've known your name for years and yes." She paused before speaking again, "And I'm glad you recognise at least one thing about me. Although, I'm a bit surprised that you only remember the way I laugh." Inuyasha's mouth literally dropped open.

'She can read my mind?'

"Yes, Inuyasha, I can read your mind. It tends to happen in places like these," she smirked.

"In places like what?"

"I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." She laughed again and he almost went weak in the knees. Almost. Inuyasha figured that he was not about to go anywhere so he sat down and the ground. He crossed his legs like always and glared up at the woman. He was trying to see underneath her hood but her face was covered in shadow.

"Feh! I'd like to see you try," she giggled again and sat down in front of him.

"I don't think I would be able to even if I had to, Inuyasha." She clasped her hands in her lap and he gave her a confused look.

"And why is that?" he asked, not really caring what the answer was.

"Because I love you too much." Inuyasha felt like he had been punched in the stomach. That was not the answer he had been expecting. He raised his eyebrow in question.

"Who are you?" She turned her head and sighed. When she spoke again Inuyasha could hear the sadness and longing in her voice.

"A girl in your life who has loved you from the first moment she met you. A girl who had her heart broken when you found another. And a girl who is waiting for you to return so she can tell you how she loves you with all of her heart and soul." As she spoke, he saw a tear form from under her hood and his heart wrenched. Inuyasha nearly reached out to her but she stood up before he could even move his hand. She stared at him from underneath her cloak.

"Please return Inuyasha. You have no idea how much this hurts, seeing you lying there." Tears were coursing down her cheeks now and Inuyasha jumped to his feet.

"What do you mean? Return from where? Where the hell am I?!" he said in a frustrated tone. He went to grab her but his hand passed right through her...as if she...

"You're not real." It wasn't a question. The woman gave him a sad smile, the ends of her mouth curving up ever so slightly.

"Iie. I am very real. And so is what is in my heart." She turned around and started walking away from him, "I do exist, and my true self is waiting for your return. Please hurry." With that she disappeared into the mist, leaving him standing by himself. Inuyasha just stood there with his arm raised, frozen.

"Hurry."

#-#-#

It had been over two hours since Miroku and Sango had left the hospital and she was still worried about Kagome. Instead of driving Sango back to the dorms, Miroku had taken her to a small café. He had gotten them a small booth in the very back so they could have some privacy. It was nice to just sit there, not having to worry about anything. Sango was actually surprised that they were able to get to the table without her having to punch the living daylights out of Miroku. He could be such a pervert sometimes.

"Guess I should have listened to you at lunch, ne?" Miroku's voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she blinked.

"Gomen, my mind was wandering. What did you say?"

"I said I should have listened to you at lunch today." Sango gave him a questioning glance and he took a sip of his latte.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Sango couldn't really remember anything that had happened after her second class. What with Inuyasha being in a coma and Kagome's mood swings.

"When you wanted to go look for Inuyasha and Kagome," he said solemnly, "You thought that Kagome might be in trouble and I told you it was nothing." Sango stared at him in shock. Besides Inuyasha, Miroku was the least likely person to actually admit he was wrong. Although, in her opinion, he worshiped the ground women walked on in order to get some action, Miroku was very self-confident. She figured that was one of the reasons he had his hair in a miniature pony-tail. He doesn't care what other people think about him and that's one of the things she loved about him.

'Wait. Did I just say love? I think I need to get my head examined.' Sango thought as she stared at the man across from her. Sure, Miroku was handsome but his hand tended to wander to the wrong places. Not that she minded all the time. Sango could admit that she secretly liked all the attention he gave her. If only he would learn to control his manly urges now and then. She looked at his face and found herself examining his features.

Although his hair was tied back, there were a few locks of loose tendrils that framed his round face. His hair was the colour of dark chocolate, which Sango had a weakness for already. His eyes, oh his eyes. They were a deep violet-blue and looked like they did not have a bottom. They were sort of glazed over right now, but on a regular day they sparkled with life. Her gaze fell to his lips and immediately she wondered what it would feel like to kiss him. They looked soft and would probably taste wonderful, considering what he was drinking. Sango suddenly realised she had been staring at him and blushed.

'Kami-sama, I'm becoming as perverted as Miroku,' she thought to herself and blushed even harder.

#-#-#

Miroku looked at Sango and smiled. He knew she had been staring at him but he had just pretended not to notice. Miroku guessed that she had finally realised what she was doing because she had suddenly blushed and cast her eyes downwards.

'Kami-sama she's gorgeous; especially when she's blushing.' Miroku laughed inwardly to himself because Sango always ended up blushing when she was around him. Although it wasn't ever really her fault; he had a tendency to do things to make her blush on purpose. He raised his eyes to her face and took in a sharp breath. No matter how many times he looked at her, she always took his breath away.

Her silky brown hair was in a high pony-tail but it had come loose during the recent events and a few hairs had come out of her elastic, framing her face. Her eyes were a unique magenta that warmed his entire body when their gazes met. Her pink eye shadow made her face come alive when she smiled, although Miroku wished she would smile at him more. His own eyes lowered to her lips and he almost shuddered. They were soft and pink and Miroku had to force himself not to lean over the table and kiss her. He felt a sudden rush of heat to the lower part of his body and shifted uncomfortably.

'I have to stop doing this,' Miroku scolded himself and looked at the woman across from him, 'Sango you have no idea how much power you have over me.' She was still avoiding any eye contact so he reached out and put his hand over hers. She jumped and looked up in surprise but didn't pull away. He gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand.

"They're both going to be fine. Inuyasha's strong and all Kagome needs is some rest." She looked down again before saying anything.

"Is it that obvious?" she asked, pinking slightly and he chuckled.

"Only to me." Sango blushed even more but her lips curled up into a smile.

"You know you look even more beautiful when you smile. You should do it more often." Her eyes widened and she stared at him. Miroku picked up her hand and pulled her towards him. Their faces were only inches apart and he could feel her breath on his lips.

"Please try to realise how much you mean to the people around you Sango. Your smile lights up the room when you walk in and you have an aura that draws people to you." His voice was scarcely above a whisper.

"Miroku, I—" He cut her off by brushing his lips against hers. She pulled back and Miroku suddenly noticed how scared she looked. She wasn't the most open person he knew and he had frightened her. Since her hand was still in his, he brought it to his mouth and kissed it, trying to comfort her. Then he looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Come on Sango, I'll take you home. You look like you could use some sleep too." Miroku stood up and put some bills on the table. Sango was still sitting there with scared look on her face so he bent down and looked her in the eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt you Sango. Please allow yourself to open up a bit and trust me," she stared at him, as if she was unsure of what to do. But his plea seemed to have reached her because she stood up and started to walk out of the café. He caught up to her with ease and walked beside her. They got to the door and although Miroku tried to stop himself, his hand some how found its way to her ass.

#SLAP!#

"Hentai!" Miroku found himself on the floor with everyone looking at him. He smiled sheepishly and got up to follow a blushing Sango outside.

"That's the Sango I've grown to know." _And love._ Not saying the last part out loud. If possible, Sango got even redder. When they got to the parking lot, Miroku got his keys out from his jacket pocket and pressed the button to unlock the car doors. He reached to open the driver door when Sango called his name.

"Miroku?" she said.

"Yes m'lady?" She seemed uncertain of what to say. She was biting her lower lip and not meeting his gaze. Then she looked straight into his eyes and smiled. Miroku was glad he had had one hand on the car because his knees would not have supported him. He was right: she was gorgeous when she smiled.

"Arigatou."

#-#-#

When Kagome woke up it was already dark outside. It took her a minute to remember where she was but as soon as she looked at Inuyasha, it all came flooding back. The hospital. She was in the hospital because...because Inuyasha was in a coma. She suddenly had a weird sense of déjà vu. She had not talked to Inuyasha since that morning but for some reason she felt like they had just shared a normal conversation. Maybe she was remembering the words she had spoken to him right before she had fallen asleep but Kagome could hear his voice clear as day in her head.

'Girl, I think you have some serious problems,' she thought to herself. She went to stand up when she realised she was covered in a purple blanket.

"I wonder where this came from." Kagome said out loud. She pulled it tighter around her shoulders and shivered. When had it gotten so cold? She looked over at Inuyasha and her grip tightened around his hand.

'I could sit here and watch you for hours, Inuyasha.' She let go of his hand and smoothed a lock of hair away from his face.

"Think you're pretty special, don't you?" a cold and sinister voice said from behind her. Kagome turned around and saw her cousin standing in the doorway. Kagome's face hardened and she glared at her.

"What do you want Kikyou?" she asked.

"I came to see Inuyasha. He is my boyfriend after all," she smirked. Kagome's hands clenched into fists and she had to force herself not to smack that smile right off her face.

"Do all the other men you sleep with mean as much to you as Inuyasha?" she retorted. Kikyou's eyebrow twitched but her smile didn't falter.

"I don't know what you're talking about, dear cousin of mine," she said making her way up to Kagome.

"Oh I think you know exactly what I'm talking about." Kagome stood to meet her gaze, "You think I don't know? Jeez, what do you take me for? You sleep with a new guy every week! How you get away with it right under Inuyasha's nose I'll never know." Kikyou's face paled a bit before she slapped her cousin.

"You little bitch! You have no idea what you're getting yourself into." She pushed Kagome down into her chair and stood overtop of her, "Just because you're my cousin doesn't I'm going to treat you any differently from the other sluts at our school." Kagome looked up at her, her face twisted with rage.

"Get out." Kagome said maliciously, trying to stay in control. She didn't know how long she would be able to keep her cool in front of her cousin. She hoped it was not too long because she wanted to pull every hair out of her head.

"Oh look who's trying to be all high and mighty now. You're nothing but trash Kagome. And that's all you ever will be," she smirked again.

"Get out." Kagome said again, her voice a little louder.

"Make me." Two words came out of her mouth and two words was all it took. Kagome jumped to her feet and punched her in the face. Blood spurted from Kikyou's nose and she looked at Kagome in shock before she went into a rant.

"You fucking whore! Are you fucking insane?! I think you broke my nose!" she screamed. Kagome just stood there with her hands at her side, rage consuming her.

"You think sitting here in this room is going to win him over?!" Kikyou said, holding her bloody nose with a tissue she had grabbed from Inuyasha's side table. "He's mine and there's nothing you can do to change that."

"Get the fuck out of here!!!" Kagome yelled at the top of her lungs, "Get out and if I ever, _ever_ catch you in this room again, I'll give you more than just a bloody nose." Kikyou glared at her and turned to leave. She got as far as the door way and stopped. She looked over her shoulder and smiled evilly.

"This isn't over, Kagome. You can be sure of that." With that she turned and left the room.

"Bitch." Kagome muttered. Kikyou had finally pushed her over the edge and although she hated to admit it, it felt good. She had wanted to wipe that smug look off her face ever since she had started going out with Inuyasha. She told Kikyou she would do much more to her if she ever saw her in this room again and Kagome had meant it. She was fed up with Kikyou making her feel insecure and she was going to make sure she knew it.

Kagome had not told Inuyasha about all the other men Kikyou had been sleeping with behind his back because she did not want to hurt him. Kagome knew how much he cared about that...that...slut and as much as she hated to admit it, she didn't want to take that away from him.

'Why she'd wanna be with anyone else when she has Inuyasha is beyond me.' Kagome thought angrily. She picked up the purple blanket that had fallen to the floor when she had punched Kikyou and wrapped it around her body. She sat down in her chair again and stared at the ceiling. Kagome was tired but she didn't know if the people working at the hospital would let her stay with Inuyasha all night.

"Guess someone will wake me if they're not okay with it." She sighed and looked at Inuyasha. He looked so innocent lying there in the hospital bed. Kagome sighed again and lay her head down on his bed. She felt exhausted so she closed her eyes. Kagome had a finally come to a decision: Kikyou had gone too far. Things were going to change and Kikyou was at the wrong end of the rope. A plan started to form in Kagome's head; a plan that was going to put her cousin in her place, once and for all.

With that in mind she let her body relax. Opening her eyes slightly, she gazed at the silver-haired man one last time.

"Sweet dreams Inuyasha."

#-#-#

"So you'll do it?" a feminine voice said into her cell phone.

"Of course. I've been waiting for this for forever. When do you want it to happen?" the male voice answered from the other end of the line.

"After he wakes up."

"Nani?!" the male voice yelled into the phone, "But that could be weeks!" He sounded really irritated.

"I know but I want both of them to suffer. How will the he suffer if he's not awake?" the female laughed.

"I guess you're right," the male mumbled.

"Aren't I always?" the female asked, "I have to go but call me later when you've figured out what you're going to do." The male agreed and the female pressed the end button on her cell phone. She stared out her bedroom window into the night and smiled.

"Inuyasha isn't going to be able to save you this time, Kagome."

#-#-#

Doushite – is something wrong?

Ano - ummm

how wus dat? Miroku wus a little ooc but o wellz. I finally got 2 put a song in! YAY! Da song ain't mine so don't start pulling dat 'It don't belong 2 u and I'm gonna sue u' shit on me lol. Guess u guys are happy I finally updated huh? Lol I'll have another chapter up in a week so u won't hafta wate so long, 'kay? Peace out

--Sereia


	7. Educational Attraction

hey ppls! I'm getting better at posting sooner huh? Lol. hope u guys r enjoying da fic so far. I hafta ask y'all sumthing. Do u guys want some more Miroku/Sango fluff? I always find dat fics r concentrated on only 1 couple and I noe dat dere r a lot of Miroku/Sango fans out dere. I had sum in da previous chapter and I'm going 2 b bringing in sum other characters so please let me noe which couples r ur fav (besides Inuyasha and Kagome cuz dey're just da ideal couple rofl).

**Suzuko** essence of Kikyo huh? Kewl! punches her hand in the air yeah she is one of my least fav characters so she's gonna end up either being a bitch or not appearing at all in my stories rofl.

**Ladykaa28** ur reviews r always welcome rofl! I've never heard of ppl in comas being able 2 hear ppl around them… is dat possible? Rofl maybe I need 2 watch more medical shows. Neways, thx 4 da idea, I'm using it in dis chapter. All doe it's not really talking…

**Black shadow fox ** no Kikyo is not going 2 die! Sry but if she did I wouldn't b able 2 write a sequel now would I?

**Sleep walking chicken and HAP** lol iron fist of death mwahahahaha dat would b SO funy!

**Principessa**** Squish Avina** lol glad u liked it and deres gonna b more cliffies so I'm hoping u wont try and kill me if I do end in a cliffie! Rofl **Lil-kitty-demon077** creative? Lol thx I'm trying 2 go more in2 detail cuz sum places r kinda short but glad u like it! 

**Healing Tenseiga** Don't lose hope! I'm still here! I promise 2 try and make my updates faster but don't go away gets puppy anime eyes

**Cool20 ** lol I'm surprised u can understand my riting lol. But yeah dis is my comp slang and since I hafta do perfect sentences 4 my fic I got lazy rofl!

**Togona** lol I don't think deres gonna b a lemon 4 a while and dere r 3 diff couples dat will have a lemon. U'll just hafta wate 2 find out who dey r!

**Nightmagic17 ** es dey're all human but Inuyasha still has his silver hair. He just isn't a hanyou.

**Lindygirl** FEED ME! Rofl SOOOOOOOOOO funny. I REALLY wanna do dat now. I'm actually listening 2 da soundtrack rite now mwahahahaha. Yeah yeah and Hojo would b da dentist guy and Inuyasha would hack him up and feed him 2 da plant mwahahahahaha!!!!!!

**WhiteDragonLight** yes it wus Kouga and he;s gonna get his ass kiked so don't worry rofl.

**AnImE**** gUrl** I cant tell ya who dap pl r yet but u'll find out later

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**Renzokuken****-Shiva** Hits her with a water balloon get a hold uv urself! Rofl, glad u like it and try not 2 pull ALL ur hair out k?

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**Inu****-dude** like I told LadyKaa28, Inuyasha didn't hear wut went on between Kagome and Kikyo but he will hear sum later stuff.

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**Melisssa**** Byrd** u reviewed all da chapters! Mwahahahaha thank u! ur so kewl! And ur stories r gude! Wut r u talking about? Lol

**Cryptic Dragon** ducks from rotten watermelon HAH! Gets hit in the face with another --' jeeez… lol if u think dats a lot of swearing den u'd never last 1 day my skewl. I swear every other word I hear is fuck lol. Myself in cluded but dats only wen I get really pissed at sum1 lol. I'm sorry that you cannot understand my author's notes. Is this better? rofl

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer** HAH! I own sumthing! Mwahahahahaha… #coughs and composes herself# I have an original character in da story now and I claim her! Lol, other den dat I own nothing so stop laughing #pelts her reviews with water balloons#

**_Chapter Six_**

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**_Educational Attraction_**

"Miss?" a voice jerked Kagome out of her dreamless sleep. A voice that she didn't recognize. A voice that was soft and gentle but wise with age.

"Miss?" Kagome slowly opened his eyes and raised her head up off Inuyasha's bed. She looked up to see a woman standing beside her. She looked to be in her mid-fifties and her hair was a mixture of white and gray. She had a kind face that was lined with wrinkles, evidence of laughter from her younger years. Her body was sporting a black skirt that ended at her knees and a white, short-sleeved blouse. It wasn't until Kagome noticed the apron that she realised that she was a nurse. Kagome bolted upright and blushed.

'She must think I'm some sort of weirdo sleeping like this,' she thought blushing even harder. Kagome looked down at her feet and the woman began to laugh.

"'Tis nothin' to be embarrassed about miss. I won't tell anyone you were here all night lookin' after your boyfriend." Kagome figured that she had reached a new level of embarrassment.

"He-he-he's not my boyfriend," she stuttered. The woman looked at her and frowned.

"Are you sure about that? Seems to mean a great deal to you by the way I've seen you look at him." Her eyes twinkled and Kagome almost smiled. The nurse's voice was heavily accented but Kagome could not tell where she was from. Kagome was quickly taken by her however, because her voice was so welcoming. It was warm and Kagome immediately felt at ease.

"Yes he does but unfortunately he's with another," she said with sadness in her voice.

"Ah, then the make-up coated bimbo in here yesterday is his, then. I'm surprised she's able to talk with all that stuff on her face." Kagome laughed and nodded. The old woman frowned again and shook her head.

"She couldn't have been in here for more that five minutes. Probably couldn't stand that fact that there's no mirror in here." Kagome looked around and sure enough, the only mirror was in the bathroom. Trust Kikyou to not be able to handle something as petty as that. Kagome swore that her cousin had a mirror everywhere she went.

"You two look alike, are you related?" She went over to Inuyasha's heart monitor to check the status but Kagome already knew nothing had changed.

"Hai, unfortunately. We're cousins but she came to live with me and my family a couple of years before I graduated from high school. Then I got into college and got my own dorm room. But she seems to have followed me." The woman shook her head again and wrote something down on the clipboard she was carrying.

"I pity you child. I wouldn't be able to stay in the same room as her for more than five minutes."

"Yes I know." Kagome tried to smooth out her shirt but it needed a good ironing.

"I think your friend here has made a mistake," she stated. Kagome gave her a questioning glance as she stared her in the face.

"What do you mean?"

"Well I think he's gotten a little confused because you and your cousin look so much alike. He obviously chose the wrong girl." Kagome blushed fiercely.

"I-I---I-" Kagome could not find the right words to say and so she was able to was stand there stuttering like an idiot with the old woman laughing at her.

"No need to worry child, your secrets safe with me. And I'm hoping this bump on the head is going to knock some sense into you mister," she said, turning to Inuyasha. Kagome smiled; she knew that she was going be hanging around the hospital a lot and it helped that she had found a friend.

"What did you say your name was?" Kagome asked. Actually, she wasn't sure if she had told her or not.

"Anne dear, Anne Patterson. And it's a pleasure to meet you Kagome Higurashi." Kagome shook her hand, not even wondering how Anne knew her name. She had a firm grip for someone her age and Kagome smiled again. Then Kagome looked at their hands and noticed the time on her watch: 8:00...Oh shit!

"Shimatta! It's already eight o'clock and I have school today!" Kagome started to run out of the room when Anne grabbed her wrist.

"There's no need to be rushin' about like a frightened neko," she said handing Kagome a large brown paper bag, "Your friend stopped by here yesterday and told me to give it to you when I woke you up." Kagome looked inside the bag to find a change of clothing, a brush and some shampoo.

'Sango you're a lifesaver,' she thought with relief.

"You can use the shower in the bathroom over there." Anne said, pointing to the doorway across the room, "You're friend said she'd be here at 8:30 so you have half an hour to get ready." Kagome smiled and hugged her.

"Arigatou!" she said running into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her. Kagome put the bag on the floor and looked around in awe. The bathroom was huge. It was almost as if Inuyasha had had this room especially made for him. Kagome could not help but notice the deep red shower curtain. It felt warm and cozy and reminded her of him.

"Inuyasha," she said quietly. Kagome turned the taps in the bathtub and then pulled the knob to make the water go through the showerhead. She quickly shed her day-old clothes and stepped into the tub. The hot water relaxed her aching body and she made a note to herself to never sleep in a chair again. She washed her hair and used the provided soap to wash her body. After the soap was all gone, she just stood there and let the hot water run over her.

No matter what, a nice warm shower always made her feel better. It was relaxing to just stand there and pretend to not have a care in the world.

"I kind of wish someone would come and join me..." she said, blushing, "That'll never happen. He's too in love with Kikyou." Kagome had never envied anyone so much in her entire life. She had always been happy with what she had and so she never felt the need to be jealous about something. Kikyou, however, was an exception. She was the one who got to hold Inuyasha's hand. She was the one who was held by him during a dance. She was the one who got to kiss him.

If Kagome could have had one thing in the world it would be to experience Inuyasha's kiss. His lips looked soft and a tinkle went through her body as she thought about him. He had warmed her heart since the day she had met him and she had loved him for just as long. He was her world and he didn't even know it.

"Well that's going to change." Kagome said aloud, turning off the water, "When he wakes up I'm going to tell him how I feel; and how much he really means to Kikyou. Maybe he'll realise that we were meant to be. Then again, he may not believe me..." She stepped out of the shower and dried herself off with one of the white hospital towels. It was soft and fluffy and felt nice against her skin.

She pulled out the clothes that Sango had left for her and smiled. Knowing each other for so long had told her how Kagome liked to dress. Sango had packed her a pair of black jeans that flared out at the bottom and a pale pink blouse. The sleeves only went half-way down my arms and folded up at the ends. She decided to wear her boots again because there was still snow on the ground and Kagome didn't want to get her pants wet.

Kagome got dressed, leaving the top two buttons of her blouse undone. She never liked to have her shirts done up all the way because of the piece of jewelry she wore around her neck. It was a silver, oval-shaped locket that she had never took off. Inside were two pictures: one of herself and one of Inuyasha. They had been taken in the last year of high school.

Kagome and Inuyasha had been chosen for the two lead parts in the school play and it had been a musical version of the legend Kagome's grandfather had always told to tourists at their shrine. She smiled as she remembered the story. The legend told of a girl that was able to go back in time through an old well near her home. She traveled to feudal Japan and met a boy who was half human and half demon. They ended up having to go on a journey to find the pieces of a sacred jewel in order to purify it and grant the girl's wish.

The two didn't get along very well in the beginning, but through the meeting of friends they created a special bond between one and other. They ended up falling in love but never admitted it to each other because they were too afraid. They were always risking their lived for each other and eventually they found the sacred jewel. The half-demon figured that the girl would use the jewel to return home to her own time and so he tried to hide his feelings of misery by yelling at her and running away.

The girl had become used to the hanyou's frustration, but he had hurt her deeply by saying he didn't care if he never saw her again. She then excused herself from her friends to go look for him and set off in the direction he gone. She searched for over an hour but could not find him anywhere. She ended up in a clearing in the middle of the forest, completely lost. She was so upset over the fact that she may never see him again that she had burst into tears and slumped to the ground. Then she began to sing. It started off softly but then she started to put her whole heart and soul into the lyrics, hoping that her secret love would hear her.

Meanwhile, the hanyou had been sitting in a tree watching the girl of his dreams cry her eyes out. It wrenched his heart to see her like that because he never knew what to do when she cried. When she started to sing he couldn't believe his ears; he had never heard something so heavenly in his entire life. She put so much life into the song that he felt like she was singing to him.

The boy had heard her sing to their youngest companion, a baby fox demon, many times but it had never been like this. Her voice floated through the trees and right into his heart. He longed for her embrace; her touch, her scent, her love. He had never been able to trust anyone before he had met her. He had been alone and scared until she had appeared and now she was going to leave. She was going to leave and he could not bear to think about how he was going to survive without her being by his side.

The hanyou wished that it had been him that she sang to every night. Her voice was calming and he felt at ease. She never knew though, that he hid in near-by trees every night, listening to her. She would have yelled at him and told him to go away. So he had stayed quiet and let the notes wash over him like waves. He figured she would not have sung to him even if he had asked, so he was content with listening in the shadows.

He looked down at the ebony-haired girl and his heart wrenched again. She was crouched over, clinging to herself as tears coursed down her cheeks. Why was she so upset? And why had she followed him? She was supposed to make her stupid wish on the stupid jewel and go home. The boy was confused but some how happy. The longer she stayed, the longer he could waft in her presence. He did not care who she was singing too, he was content to just sit and watch her.

The boy listened to the lyrics, the words pouring into his soul, when it finally hit him: she was singing to him! She did not want to leave...she wanted to stay. And she wanted to stay with him. It felt like he had been punched in the stomach and suddenly he found it hard to breathe. Did she mean it? The boy had always hoped...but never in his wildest dreams had he thought she would choose his world over her own.

Silently, he jumped down off the tree limb and crept up behind her. When she finally finished her song he knelt down and wrapped his arms around her waist. She was startled and tried to free herself from his grasp, thinking it was some kind of monster. The boy just tightened his grip and whispered her name into her ear. She then turned around looked into his eyes with surprise.

She asked him how long he had been standing there and he said long enough. Then hugged her close and murmured three simple words: I love you. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close as she cried into his red haori. She told the boy that she had loved him more than her own life and that she would never leave his side. The boy then released the girl enough to look into her eyes before leaning in and kissing her. She returned it with all the emotion inside her and then the curtains had come down.

It had been the best moment in Kagome's entire life and not just because she had been able to feel Kikyou's rage from the stage. Kagome had not been acting that entire last scene; she had been telling the truth. She had truly put all her emotion into that kiss and for that brief moment time had stood still. There had been no audience; it had been only the two of them...until the curtains fell and Inuyasha pulled away. But who could blame him? Even then, Kikyou had been his girlfriend and he wasn't about to cheat on her, even if it was just his best friend. Ironic.

Kagome sighed again and looked herself over in the mirror. Not too shabby for someone who spent the whole night sleeping in a chair. She put her old clothes in the bag and turned out the bathroom light before opening the door. Anne was gone so she quickly went over to Inuyasha's bed. Kagome looked at him with longing and lent over to kiss him. Even though he was deathly pale his lips were warm and sent a shiver up her spine. Kagome stood up blushing and cast one last look at him before leaving the room.

'I'll be back soon, Inuyasha,' she thought to herself as she walked down a flight of stairs, 'And I'll sing a nice lullaby. Maybe the one from our grade twelve play.' By the time Kagome got down to the lobby, it was already 8:40 and Sango was waiting for her. She turned to Kagome and smiled before taking the bag from her hands.

"Hey Kag. You get any sleep?" Kagome laughed.

"I slept in a chair. What does that tell you?" Sango giggled. A moment of silenced passed before Kagome spoke again. "Arigatou." Sango just nodded. They linked arms and headed out to the parking lot where Miroku was waiting for them.

#-#-#

'The little bitch! I knew she didn't come back to the dorm last night.' Kikyou watched Kagome with her friends as she walked towards the school. The fact that Kikyou could tell that she hadn't slept well last night gave her little satisfaction. How dare Kagome spend the whole night with Inuyasha! And how dare she forbid her from ever seeing him. He was her boyfriend, not Kagome's.

"Kikyou?" She pushed down her rage and turned around.

"Fine Yura. Let's go." Yura shrugged and they walked through the doors of the school. Kikyou did not know why she even put up with going to school. The only reason she had applied to this stinking college was so she could rub her relationship with Inuyasha in her cousin's face. Every time Kagome was with him, Kikyou would walk up to him and kiss him or something of the same nature just to see the look on Kagome's face. It was too funny for words.

Today, however, Kikyou had a few words to say to her. She hadn't told anyone about what had happened in Inuyasha's room last night. Kikyou couldn't believe the nerve of her! Kagome had actually hit her beautiful face and she was going to pay. It was bad enough Kagome had a special thing with Inuyasha but when he took her side over Kikyou's was unbearable. Kikyou couldn't stand it when he stood up for her.

Kikyou got to her locker and opened it with a bang. Yura flinched next to her but she didn't care; she was too mad.

"What's your problem?" she asked, raising her voice.

"My fucking cousin! What else?" She glared at Kagome when she walked by with her friends. Kikyou was imagining her bursting into her flames but nothing happened.

"What she do now?" She could tell that Yura was annoyed.

"She stayed with Inuyasha all night while I was at home." Kikyou said through clenched teeth.

"Why didn't you just go and kick her out?"

"I tried but she wouldn't leave. You know how stubborn she is," she said, ending the conversation. Kikyou wasn't about to tell Yura that Kagome had made her leave by punching her in the face. Fuck that! Let Yura think what she wanted to think. Kikyou grabbed her chemistry textbook and looked in her magnetic mirror she had hung up in her locker. Her pale face was a nice contrast to her black hair and she took out her lipstick. It was bright bloody red, her favourite one. Kikyou applied it to her lush lips and blew a kiss to her reflection: perfect.

"If you're done looking at yourself in the mirror, we should get to class." Yura said, combing her fingers through her shoulder-length hair.

"Up yours." Kikyou said with a grin. She put her lipstick away and closed her locker. Kikyou may like looking at herself in the mirror but so did Yura. Except Yura didn't look at her face, she looked at her hair. It is her obsession. Her hair was straight and ended just above her shoulders. It was brown but she had put a few highlights in it for fun.

If Yura had a picture taken of her every day of the week, she would look different in every single one. She did something different with it everyday and girls were always coming up to her and asking for tips. It got kind of annoying, what with freshmen coming to talk to her at lunch while they were eating. But Yura did not mind it in the slightest. She was going to be a hair stylist after university and Kikyou knew she was going to be great at it.

She walked along side Yura and they talked about the upcoming dance. It was in a month but people, including themselves, were already discussing the clothes they were going to wear. It was being held at the local club and anybody who was anybody was going.

"So has Inuyasha asked you to the dance yet?" Kikyou sighed and shook her head.

"Iie and now he's in a stupid coma so I'm going to wait until he wakes up. But I'm not worried. I'm his girlfriend, aren't I? Who else would he ask?" She smirked at the thought of him asking her right in front of Kagome. She would be devastated. Kikyou couldn't wait.

"'Course." Yura said. They reached their classroom and took their seats. Kikyou looked around but didn't see the teacher. Fucking hell! Why the fuck did teachers tell them to be on time if they weren't going to be on time themselves? She turned to Yura and voiced her opinion.

"Yeah I know what you mean." She flicked her hair and three male classmates looked at her. Kikyou almost laughed because that trick worked on every man Yura had come across. Then Kikyou saw a flicker of white out of the corner of her eye and turned towards the front of the classroom.

Kanna was walking towards them, her compact mirror out in front of her as usual. Her hair was so blonde it looked white but she had also added some streaks like Yura. Kanna's streaks, however, were a deep blue that accented her pale eyes. Everyone was jealous because she seemed to be the only one who could get blue streaks without them turning green. It was really cool.

"Kanna do you ever put down that mirror? You're worse than Kikyou." Kikyou slapped Yura playfully on the arm and Kanna grinned.

"Only when I see a really hot guy," she said with a wink. She sat down and continued to look in her mirror. Kikyou sighed and faced forward. She had considered skipping out the whole day to go shopping but the principle had already threatened her about missing class. She didn't see what the big deal was. She was the one who was paying for these stupid classes.

Kikyou sighed again and was lost in many clothing related thoughts when the teacher walked in. He went behind the desk and took some folders out of his black bag. She wasn't really paying attention until he actually spoke.

"Ohaiyo gozoimasu. Your regular teacher is away on business and so I'm going to be your substitute for the rest of the year." Kikyou finally looked at him and her mouth went dry. The man was gorgeous! He was around six feet and it was all muscle. His pale eyes were piercing and his long brown, wavy hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He was wearing a navy blue tie that hung loosely around his neck and it looked incredibly sexy. His crisp, striped button-up shirt was tight enough to show off his broad shoulders and he had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

'Holy shit! He doesn't look that much older than me. Why the hell is a hunk like that a teacher?' Kikyou started to mentally undress him and smiled, 'What I wouldn't give to get some of that!' He walked in front of the desk and lent lazily against it. Kikyou raised her eyebrow seductively as she caught his attention. He held her gaze for a moment and smiled. Kikyou smiled back and winked.

"My name is Naraku Onigumo and we'll get along fine as long as you don't give me any trouble." He looked back at Kikyou and smirked, "Although maybe a little trouble would liven things up." He picked up his attendance sheet and started calling out names. Kikyou just sat there and stared at him. He was definitely hot. Maybe not as hot as Inuyasha but there was something about him that caught her eye.

'I think I'm going to enjoy Chemistry from now on,' she thought to herself.

"Miko Kikyou."

"Here," she said raising her hand. He paused for a moment before speaking again, "Miko-san I need to speak to you about something. Please stay behind after class today."

"My pleasure." Kikyou's lips curled up into a smile and he went through the rest of the names. He was almost at the end of the list when he called a familiar name.

"Tetsusaiga Inuyasha." Kikyou figured she should have gone blurry eyed or something but she just waved her hand in a nonchalant way and spoke.

"He's in the hospital. I don't know when he's going to be coming back," she said. Naraku raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. He finally finished off taking the attendance and asked someone to take it down to the office. Kikyou put up her hand and volunteered. He nodded and motioned for her to come to the front of the classroom to get it. She got out of her seat and walked up to him. Kikyou went to take the list and their hands touched.

Sparks flew. Kikyou felt a tingle where their skin connected and shivered. He smiled at her and let go of the attendance sheet. Kikyou turned around and walked out of the classroom. She really wanted to get back to class for once but she took the long way to the office out of habit.

'I don't think it'll be long before we're seeing each other out of class.' Kikyou laughed. If the way he fucked was as smooth as his voice then she was in for the ride of my life. She imagined what he could do to a girl and quickened her pace a little. So he wanted to see her after class? Well he's going to see a little more than he bargained for. Kikyou dropped the attendance off at the office and turned to go back to class with a smile on her face.

#-#-#

"Fuck! I'm so fucking late!" Kagura swore under her breath as she ran through the hall. Her alarm had not gone off this morning and she had already missed half of her class that morning. Not that she cared, it was just chemistry. The teacher was an old fag who didn't really care what people did after he taught his lesson. She skidded to a stop outside her locker and turned the lock to put in the combination. It didn't open.

"Fuck!" she yelled. She tried again slower and it opened. 'Things never happen properly when you're in a rush.' Kagura shoved her bag into the locker and pulled out her textbook. Kagura took a quick look in the mirror and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. That one strand of hair always gave her trouble. Then she slammed the door closed and clicked the lock shut.

'With my luck we'll end up having a substitute today and I'll be in even worse shit.' Kagura thought irritably. She rounded the corner at full speed and ran into something. Hard. She must have been going faster than she thought, 'cause the next thing she knew she was on her ass, her books and papers all over the floor. She shook her head and swore. Her luck was not improving.

"You know, normally after you run into someone you apologize," a voice said from above her. She raised her gaze to glare at the person.

"Yeah well I—" Kagura froze. A pair of golden eyes was staring at her with a familiar glitter. 'Aw shit, anybody but him!' Kagura just sat there staring at the man in front of her. His long silver hair went past his ass but he had it tied back in a low ponytail. His well built chest was covered by a tight, sleeveless black shirt that showed off his muscular arms. His hands were in the pockets of his faded jeans that were held up by a metal-spiked black belt. His distinctive tattoo on his right shoulder caught her eye. It was a double, blue crescent moon that he apparently got as soon as he became a teenager. He really liked showing it off and most of the female population thought it was sexy.

"You what?" Kagura swallowed and looked into his eyes. She shouldn't have done that. Kagura had never seen his eyes up close but the way they sparkled made her tingle all over. They looked so holographic that she could have drowned in them. He smirked when he noticed that she was staring and she blushed.

"Sesshomaru..." she whispered. He sighed when she didn't move and held out his hand. Kagura looked at it in confusion.

"It's not going to bite; it's supposed to help you up off the floor." She blushed again and took his hand. It was only when Kagura was back on her feet that she realized how tall he really was. She had seen him around the university since her first day and had fallen in lust with him on sight. He was a whole head above her and Kagura suddenly felt very self-conscious.

"So do you go around running into people on a regular basis or am I just special?" He stood there looking at her with a smirk on his handsome face.

'You have no idea.' Kagura thought sadly. She could feel heat rising to her face and looked at the floor. She finally noticed her things all over the ground and bent down to pick them. She reached for her book when Sesshomaru knelt down and picked it up. Kagura stood up and stared at him again.

"Here," he said handing over her textbook, "So Kagura, are you planning on saying anything to me anytime soon?" That got her attention. How the hell did he know her name? She guessed she should have been flattered or something but she was just surprised.

"Y-you...you know my name?" she stuttered, mentally smacking herself on the head, 'What to go Kagura! Great first impression.'

"Yeah, I've seen you around. Plus your friend goes out with my little brother." He frowned at this and Kagura couldn't blame him. Even she knew that Kikyou was playing with Inuyasha's heart to get back at her cousin. She could be a real bitch some times.

"Right, of course," she tried to organize her papers and hold her textbook at the same time. When she finally got things in order she turned to the man of her dreams to find him staring at her with a smile on his face.

"Nani?" she asked, her old attitude back, "It there something on my face?" He chuckled and Kagura really wished he hadn't done that. His laugh was deep and smooth and arg! She could listen to him laugh all day long.

"Iie. Demo, you do have a piece of hair loose." He raised his hand and tucked that stray curl behind her ear, just as she had done earlier. Then he gently ran his finger down the side of her face and held her chin for a second before letting go.

'If I die from embarrassment right now at least I'm going to die happy.' Kagura thought. They held eye contact for a moment and he smiled, something Kagura hadn't seen him do very often.

"Well I don't think there's much point of going to your class now, so how about getting a cup of coffee with me and you can tell me why you like to run into people in the middle of hallways." Kagura had to struggle to keep herself from collapsing. Was this really happening? This was the guy she had been pining for since she started school and here he was asking her out for a cup of coffee. Kagura almost shook with excitement. But he took her silence for a rejection because his eyes suddenly clouded over and he stepped away from her.

"Nandimonai. Forget I asked," he said, his voice clipped. He turned away and was about to walk away from her when she reached out for him. However, she miscalculated and fell into his arms. He held onto her and looked into her eyes in question. Then he smiled and put her back on her feet.

"You're a real klutz, you know that?"

"Goman. Demo, ano...about the coffee thing," she said looking at the floor blushing like hell, "I'd really like to do it with you. I mean-uh, get the coffee that is. If you still want to." Kagura was blushing so hard she thought her face was going to explode and Sesshomaru laughed again.

"Believe me I still want to." She looked at him and finally smiled.

"Let me just put these things back in my locker and I'll meet you outside in five minutes, ne?"

"Ah." Kagura started walking back the way she came when he called her name.

"Ne Kagura?"

"Hai?"

"If you're going to get a cup of coffee with me you have to promise to smile more. A frown doesn't suit your pretty face." She blushed again and nodded before turning to walk to her locker.

#-#-#

Naraku dismissed the class and watched as everyone poured out of the classroom; except Kikyou. Damn she was hot! And she knew it too. The way she moved her ass when she walked showed that she knew exactly what she was doing and that was fine with him. And she knew, as well as he did, that the reason he had asked her too stay after class had nothing to do with school at all.

Naraku closed the door after the last few students had walked out the door and turned around to see Kikyou sitting on his desk with her legs crossed. Fuck she was sexy! He couldn't wait to feel her flawless body underneath his in the heat of his room, wrapped up in bed sheets. Just thinking about it made him hard and he shifted positions so she wouldn't notice.

"So, Onigumo-sensei, what did you want to talk to me about?" she said, hiking her skirt up a little. She was not helping the problem in his pants.

"I think you know, Miko-san." He smirked as she licked her lips.

"Hai I think I do but don't think we should go somewhere else?" she said seductively.

"Mmmmm. Care to go for a ride Miko-san? I don't have any more classes." Kikyou got off his desk and sauntered up to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him against her body. Naraku felt her nipples tighten and lowered his head. She immediately responded and began exploring his mouth with her tongue. She ran it along his teeth and Naraku struggled for dominance.

'Damn this bitch can kiss!' he thought to himself. She sucked on his tongue and he plunged into her own mouth. But before he could get anywhere she pulled away.

"I think we should drop the formalities, don't you?" Kikyou said with a smile.

"Babe, as long as I get some of that," Naraku grabbed her ass, "I don't care what you call me." She laughed and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Then she let him go and opened the door behind him.

"Come on Naraku, I'm looking forward to the ride you offered."

"Oh you'll get more than just the one in my car," he said smirking. Naraku grabbed his bag and walked back over to her. With that he led her out of the classroom and towards the doors that lead to the parking lot. He was going to enjoy teaching at this school from now on.

#-#-#

Shimatta – shit!

Neko – cat

Hanyou – ½ demon

Ohaiyo gozoimasu – good morning (formal)

Nandimonai – never mind

sry kinda short but wut doya guys think? Isn't Kikyo a bitch? I mean why da hell would she go 4 sum1 like NARAKU wen she has Inuyasha?! Lol don't ask me my mind works in mysterious ways mwahahahahaha. Yeah and fluffy wus a little OOC but I like it wen he's nice and stuff. Don't worry he's still gonna have a cold side 2 him but you'll just hafta wate lol!

--Sereia


	8. Bottled Emotions

hey ppls! Heres da next chap, I hope u guys like it but nun of u really told me which couples u wanna c more of! Prolly 90 of u sed kill Kikyo and make inu wake up but I cant do dat yet! I've got sum stuff in store 4 da others b4 he wakes up. Mwahahahahahaha! Wel read on and don't 4get: reviews make ppl update faster! Lol

**Suzuko** yes kikyo's a slut but wut can ya do? I'm a serious Kikyo hater so no matter what my stories r like, if dey're Inuyasha den she's gonna b a bitch lol.

**Black shadow fox** lol yes Kikyo and Naraku. I mean come on he's da villain in da series rite? Would you rather it was happening between Kikyo and Inuyasha? I don't think so…

**Ash-chan** hell itself… I like da sound of dat mwahahahaha

**Cryptic Dragon** rofl rolling on floor laughing. Lol sry I guess my comp slang is a little hard 2 understand. Yes I luv fluffly 2, he's so KEWL. But of course not as kewl as Inuyasha. U just cant compare dem mwahahahaha

**Stone Dragon, Ruby** u'll get a glimpse of wut inu's dreaming about in dis chapter. I don't think he'll b waking up 4 another couple of chapters but I'm sure u'll like wut happens wen he dus. And don't worry kik will get wuts coming 2 her.

**Anime 2 deth** lol I actually don't noe if algebra is taught in university, I'm in grade 12 so I've stil got 1 more year until I find out. But I figure math is always a gude 'problem subject' lol.

**Yarou**** Youkai** sry I guess I should have sed sumthing about dis in da beginning lol. Miroku, Inuyasha, Sango, Kagome, Kouga, Kikyo and Hojo are all in da same grade. I think its da third year of university lol. but yeah da guys r all older den da gurls but all of dem r born in da same year.

**DeathX23** flaming pole huh? Sounds gude lol. ducks from rotten tomatoes I think I need 2 get a better umbrella! So many ppl throwing rotten fruit at me! --' and I think da only ppl who have kewl cars rite now is Miroku and Naraku and Sango lol. but I mean come ON! Cars reflect 1z personality ne?

**Sleep walking chicken and HAP** iron fist mwahahahahaha! Sry can't let u kil JUST yet. I noe its tempting but can u hold off 4 a few more chapters?

**Yami**** Neferbre** edge of ur seat is gude lol. yeah Inuyasha is SUCH a gude anime ne?

**Animefan2007** did u even take a breath wen u wrote dat review? Rofl, yes kag and inu will end up 2gether and Kikyo is a bitch and a whore lol. u noe u can just put me on ur author alert thingie so u get emailed every time I update but I'll email u neways lol.

**Lady Banshee 999** yeah fluffy IS a little ooc ne? demo, its not bcuz he wants 2 get bak Kikyo, I really like it wen ppl put Kagura and Sesshomaru 2gether in deir fics. I mean I LUV Rin 2 but I prefer it wen she's kept as a kid and sessy adopts her or sumthing. Hope dis dusnt disappoint u but sessy's feeling 4 kagura r gonna b real…

**SesshomaruLover** yeah dat WOULD b gude! I don't think da 'dumping' wil actually b infront of Kagome but don't worry, jealousy will prevail mwahahahaha

**Principessa**** Squish Avina** ur name is SO kewl lol. yeha I don't like Kikyo in da series either, such a bitch lol. but have u seen da latest episodes? Mwahahahaha so gude.

**Inuyasha-girly-2007** o, sum1 will b walking in on Kikyo, but it won't b Inuyasha…

**Kaye ** ooooooooooh, crawling skin mwahahahaha! Yes, Kikyo is da true essence of a slut in my fic lol. and yeah Kagura is a kewl character even doe in da actual series she worx 4 Naraku…

**Sakurafan4ever** lol da play isn't REALLY from da series. I mean Kagome dusnt burst in2 song but da fact dat inu's a hanyou and dat dey're looking 4 da shikon no tama is true. Other den dat its original. I wish dat would really happen dow. Dat would b KEWL!

**Cici4eva** wow I feel so special! Lol thank u 4 updating! It lets me noe ppl like my fic so I write more lol.

**Inuyasha no miko** lol no Inuyasha's not gonna wake up 2 Kikyo admitting dat sry. Wut he wakes up 2 wil have a much bigger impact on his life mwahahahaha…

**Hanyou007** lol yes Kikyo flying wuz rather fun mwahahahaha. Just like the witch she is.

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

****

**Disclaimer** do I hafta? I don't own Inuyasha... #whine whine whine, grumble grumble grumble#

**_Chapter Seven_**

**_Bottled Emotions_**

****

Kagome stared at the clock on the wall and willed it to go faster. It was only five minutes until lunch and she could not wait to get out of this stupid classroom. She didn't know what possessed her to take history anyways. She adored history, just not in the way this old geezer was teaching it. She wanted to do more than just sit around and read about feudal Japan. She wanted to explore it and be able to ask the people who lived then about how they ran their lives.

The things that fascinated her the most were the tales about miko. Miko were priestesses who gave guidance to people who needed it and were very skilled when it came to medicines and healing. But there were a few who were said to have real magical powers. If she was lucky enough to obtain them, a miko could conjure her holy powers when using a bow and arrow. The power was then channeled through the arrow and was able to defeat whatever evil the miko was up against.

It was these beliefs that made Kagome sign up for the archery team in high school. She was a born natural when it came to using a bow and had almost perfected it now. Unfortunately, so had Kikyou. They were always in constant competition so when she heard that Kagome was on the archery team she signed up almost immediately. They had the same skill but Kikyou shot the arrow with a grace Kagome had never seemed to master. It was like Kikyou was they only one with the bow and no matter how matched they were, everyone liked to watch _her_.

Kagome looked at the clock again: 12:56. She swore time was slowing down just to piss her off. She actually wanted school to be over so she could and see Inuyasha but lunch would have to suffice for now. Kagome had planned to meet up with Sango and Miroku, naturally, but Sango had also said that she was going to bring someone else to eat with them. Kagome figured she had met someone new and thought they would be able to be friends.

She sighed and looked down at her history book. She had lost track of which page they were on long ago but she didn't really care. Kagome knew she should have been paying attention but her mind was swimming with too many thoughts. Most of which included a certain silver-haired boy. How she longed to see his smiling face again! It hurt her so much that there was nothing she could do but wait. Kagome just hoped that there wasn't going to be any side affects of being in a coma.

'I wonder if he can hear me when I talk to him.' Kagome thought to herself. She had heard somewhere that people in comas could hear what was going on around them, just couldn't move. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

'All the more reason to sing to him when I go see him today.' Kagome had made a decision that morning to sing the song from their grade twelve play. It had always stayed close to her heart and deep down she was hoping that he was going to be able to hear it. It always made her feel better when she sang, so maybe it would lift her out of the crummy mood she was in.

'I wonder if Kikyou will show her ugly face after what I did to her.' Kagome snorted, 'Not likely. She may act tough but she's just as weak as the rest of us behind those many layers of make-up.' She didn't know why her cousin liked to put other people down. Maybe Kikyou liked to be in power or something. Or maybe she had a grudge against someone and took it out on everybody else. Or maybe she was just a bitch. Well the last one was a given but Kagome could never tell what she was thinking; except when she was clinging to Inuyasha. Kagome could see the smugness written all over her face.

'Fuck! What a bitch!' Kagome usually didn't let her cousin get to her but today it was just adding fuel to an already huge flame. Deep down, Kagome hoped that Kikyou _would_ show up so she could beat the living shit out of her. Punching her had been so relieving it was scary. Kagome had to keep herself from laughing when she saw her today. No matter how much foundation Kikyou had put on, Kagome could still make out the purple tinge around her eye.

Kagome looked up at the clock again: 12:57. What the fuck?! There was no way that that clock was telling the right time. Why the hell was this class going so slow? Kagome wanted out of this stupid classroom and she wanted out _now_. This was the first time in her life Kagome had ever contemplated actually walking out of the class before it was over. Not being able to concentrate was really getting to her and she just couldn't keep her mind on what the teacher was saying. Kagome's mind wandered not to Inuyasha this time but his elder brother, Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had similar traits on the outside but on the inside they were totally different. While Inuyasha was very out spoken, Sesshomaru liked to keep to himself. Even though Kagome had known him for years, she had never really seen him connect with anybody. When she had first met Sesshomaru, he had been very cold towards her, but she couldn't really blame him. He was never one to trust people right away so it took a while before he was comfortable in her presence.

Though it wasn't just his attitude that kept him from connecting. Like Inuyasha, Sesshomaru had long silver hair and gorgeous golden eyes. But his eyes were cold and distant. Every time he looked at her, Kagome felt as though he was looking into her soul. The only thing was she never got that warm, fuzzy feeling like she did with Inuyasha. It was like the whole inside of her body went cold; it felt as if he was some sort of prince that was looking down on everyone around him. Kagome could remember the first time she met him, clear as day. It had been one of those days where it was too hot to do anything and she had been trying to persuade Inuyasha to have a water fight with her in his back yard.

**_FLASHBACK_**

"Come on Inuyasha!" Kagome whined, "It'll be fun! It's too hot to do anything else!" Inuyasha was lying against a tree with his hands behind his head. His eyes were closed even though he wasn't asleep and a few stray strands of silver hair were covering his face. He opened one eye slightly and looked at her. Kagome pouted.

"Come _on_!" Inuyasha closed his eye again and smirked.

"Aren't we a little old for water fights?" he said smiling.

"You can never be too old for a water fight. I may be sixteen, but I still need to cool off on a hot day!" She got on her hands and knees and playfully yanked on his hair. He didn't even flinch.

"Inuya-shaaa! Come on, I know you're hot too. Why won't you have a water fight with me?" He sighed and opened both his eyes. He sat up but because her hand was still attached to his hair, she went with him. The sudden movement caught Kagome off balance and she nearly fell into his lap. Inuyasha grabbed her arm and held her an inch from his face. She could feel his warm breath on her face and she swallowed. Inuyasha just smirked.

"The reason I won't have a water fight with you right now, Kagome," he said slowly, "Is because of the fact that you're wearing a white shirt. And I don't think you want to be showing off what's underneath it."

Kagome had never blushed so hard in her life.

She just sat there and stared at him. He smirked again and helped her to her feet. Kagome couldn't have said anything if she tried. She had totally forgotten that she was wearing a sleeveless, white blouse and jean shorts. The heat must have affected her brain more than she thought. She was so embarrassed; it never occurred to her to think about what she was wearing. Thank goodness Inuyasha wasn't a horny bastard, otherwise she would have had something to really blush about. Kagome coughed uncomfortably and Inuyasha laughed.

"You're so cute when you blush Kagome. Come on, I know you brought a bathing suit. Go inside and change and _then_ we'll have a water fight okay?" Kagome nodded not looking at him and ran towards his house. She reached the door and quickly opened it. She was immediately ambushed by a waft of cold air and relaxed.

'If he thinks he's gonna win this fight, he's out of his mind.' She smiled impishly and walked towards the stairs that lead to Inuyasha's room. Kagome found her backpack on the floor and rummaged through it until she found a hair elastic and her bathing suit. Well, bikini would be a more appropriate word. Her 'bathing suit' was a sexy black two-piece that Sango had made her buy. Sango had said it made her stand out and wouldn't let Kagome leave the store unless the bathing suit was with her. Kagome smirked; maybe this thing would come in handy today.

She went into the bathroom that was connected to Inuyasha's room and quickly changed. She pulled her hair up into a high ponytail and put her shorts back on overtop of the bottom part of her bikini. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled.

'Maybe Sango was right about this bathing suit.' Kagome thought to herself, 'I should take her shopping with me more often.' She shut off the light and opened the door. She shoved her things into my bag and was about to walk down stairs when an idea struck her. Kagome quickly ran over to the window on the far side of Inuyasha's room and looked down. There, right below his room was a hose.

'Yes! He's got one of those gun thingies on the end of it.' She grinned and quietly went down stairs. Taking a quick look outside, she saw Inuyasha standing where she had left him. He was holding a huge water gun and was obviously going to soak her as soon as she walked outside.

"Nice try pal, but the one who's going to get wet first ain't gonna be me." Kagome slipped past the door and through the living room. She was about to open the front door when someone spoke.

"Do you normally go sneaking around other people's houses in your bra?" Kagome whirled around to see a man with long silver hair sitting in a fancy armchair with a book in his hands. At first she thought it was Inuyasha but then she realized that the man sitting in front of her looked nothing like Inuyasha. His hair was a lot longer than Inuyasha's and he looked at least five years older than him.

"It's a bathing suit and who the hell are you?" Kagome asked angrily. She had never seen this guy in her life and he was asking _her _why she was in Inuyasha's house? Kagome glared at him but his face remained expressionless.

"I am the master of this house and you have no right to talk to me like that," he said standing up. Kagome's sapphire eyes widened. This guy had to be over six feet tall! Kagome felt like cowering in a corner but her curiosity got the better of her.

"What are you talking about? I thought Inuyasha was the only one who lived here."

"Well then your thoughts greatly mistaken. I am his elder brother, Sesshomaru." Kagome's mouth dropped open and she stared at him.

'Elder brother? Inuyasha never told me he had any siblings.' She continued to stare at the person in front of her, hoping that he would suddenly crack up and tell me it was all a joke. But he just stood there, emotionless, looking right back at her.

'His eyes...' They bore a strange resemblance to Inuyasha's, but they didn't have the same warmth. Kagome couldn't pull herself away from his gaze and a wave of shivers went through her body despite the heat. Kami-sama, those powerful eyes must run in the family...

"Do you not believe me?" he asked, his voice unwavering.

"Iie, I believe you. It's just that Inuyasha never really mentioned having an elder brother." Kagome thought she saw something pass through Sesshomaru's face but as soon as she blinked it was gone. He closed his book and walk towards the kitchen, where Kagome had just come from. She watched in surprise as he stopped at the doorway. He turned around slowly and his gaze met hers as she shivered again.

"Soak 'im good." And with that he was gone. As soon as he left the room, Kagome visibly relaxed and slumped again the wall. Kami-sama, he could stop a rampaging bull dead in his tracks with those eyes. She shook her head and remembered the task at hand: soaking Inuyasha with the hose.

She snuck out the door and around the corner to where the hose was lying on the ground. Twisting the head of the gun part so more water would come out, Kagome turned it on full blast and peeked around the corner. Inuyasha was still standing there, looking bored but satisfied, waiting for her to come running out of the back door. Kagome had to stifle her laughter. She lay against the hose side of the house and counted to three. Then she jumped out ready to attack.

"Oi, Inuyasha!" He turned around just long enough for her to see the look of horror on his face before pulling the trigger on the hose. The water sprayed out and soaked him within seconds.

"You bitch! Who said you could use the hose?" Inuyasha ran out of the water's path and tried to get Kagome with his water gun. But she was too quick for him and she sprayed him again.

"You're the one who was waiting for me with the huge water gun you cheater!" she laughed. Kagome continued to bombard him with water and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't find a place to hide.

"Come on Inuyasha!" she yelled, "This is supposed to be a water fight! Not a run-away-from-the-hose fight." Kagome let him have it full in the face, laughing hysterically.

"Are you fucking crazy?!" he half-shouted, when she resumed to spraying him in the chest. "How am I supposed to get you when you have the fucking hose?" She laughed again but ended up getting a mouth full of water. She looked over at him and saw the smirk on his face. The little bastard had distracted her and then hit her in the face! Ooh, he was going to get it now.

Kagome pulled the trigger as hard as she could and let him have it. Water droplets were falling into her eyes, but she wasn't about to let her guard down to wipe them away. She blinked a few times and suddenly realized Inuyasha wasn't running from the stream of water anymore. He was just standing there, letting the water from the hose soak him even more.

Before Kagome could open her mouth and question his actions, Inuyasha threw his water gun at her. She automatically put her hands up to catch it, not wanting it to hit her. Her fingers let go of the trigger and Kagome realized her mistake a second too late. The gun crashed against her hands and fell to the ground, along with the hose. Kagome looked up just in time to have Inuyasha tackle her to the ground.

Their breath was laboured as they lay together, their limbs tangled. Water flowed off Inuyasha and soaked Kagome's clothing. His legs were straddling hers and he had pinned her arms with his hands. Kagome looked up to find Inuyasha staring down at her with a slightly amused look in his golden eyes.

"You cheater. You aren't allowed to use a hose." Inuyasha accused.

"Who died and made you boss?" Kagome shot back. "You were going to spray me with your water gun as soon as I walked out the door."

"Well you were the one who suggested we have a water fight Kagome. It's not my fault I was more prepared than you."

"This is your fucking house you bastard! I don't know where everything is."

"You've known me since you were what? Four? Come one Kagome, you've been over here enough to know where we keep our toys," he said with a grin. Kagome scowled at him.

"And you should have been a gentleman and made it a fair fight by giving me a weapon. See? I told it was your fault," she said triumphantly. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow and shook his head. Then he took a deep breath and sighed. His chest expanded against Kagome's and her eyes widened.

Inuyasha's weight was completely on top of her and his intake of breath had made Kagome completely aware of his body. His chest flattened against hers and she suddenly realized that the only thing separating them was her bikini top. She tensed and squirmed underneath him.

"Let me go," Kagome said, sounding more nervous than she intended. Inuyasha propped himself up on his elbows but it wasn't enough for Kagome to get away. He was looking at her with an unreadable expression. Kagome felt trapped and tried once again to wriggle free but it was no use.

"No."

"No!" Kagome repeated, fear taking over her nervousness. Her senses were being overrun by Inuyasha's muscular body and it scared her. Scared her that he was creating such a response within her and he didn't even know it. She didn't want him to know it. Kagome had been keeping it a secret for years and she wasn't about to let it surface now.

"You can't say no!" she said, putting her hands against his chest to push him away. His bare chest. Kagome pulled her hands back as if she had been burned. She almost had. Inuyasha's skin was hot to the touch even though he had been soaked with cold water. Beads of water were still evident on his hard torso and Kagome's eyes widened even more.

"Why not?"

"Because I want to get up."

"Maybe I don't want you to get up just yet." Kagome looked up at Inuyasha but his expression was still unreadable.

"Let me go." Kagome said again.

"I can't." She eyed him suspiciously.

"Why not?" He just smirked at her and grabbed for his water gun. Before Kagome could protect herself, her whole head was soaked from him squirting her in the face.

"That's why not," he said laughing. Kagome glared at him and was about to yell at him again when Sesshomaru's voice drifted across the yard.

"Well I can see why you chose to wear a bra." His voice hinted towards amusement but not enough to be noticeable. Kagome blushed furiously and pushed Inuyasha off of her. He rolled over laughing until he realized who was speaking. His golden eyes seemed to darken but Kagome was staring at Sesshomaru.

"I told you, it's a bathing suit!" she yelled at him. Sesshomaru just raised an eyebrow and turned to go back inside. Kagome glared at his back and then turned to Inuyasha. There was a look of surprised on his face, but his eyes held some unknown emotion that she had never seen before.

"What?"

"How do you know Sesshomaru?" he asked. Kagome shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't. I just met him before I came outside and soaked you. Which brings me to another question," she said eyeing Inuyasha, "Why have you never mention you have a brother?" Inuyasha's eye's narrowed and a flash of anger went through his handsome features.

"Half brother. We only have the same dad and he thinks that since he was born first that he's all high and mighty."

"You didn't answer my question, Inuyasha." He looked at her and then sighed.

"Gomen Kag, I just...don't like to talk about my past much. And Sesshomaru is a big part of that. 'Sides, you wouldn't want to know about him anyways. All he does is read and boss me around." She laughed and Inuyasha gave her an inquiring look.

"I'm sure he means more to you then that, Inuyasha."

"Feh." Kagome smiled. Inuyasha wasn't the most open of people but she knew deep down he had a heart of gold.

"Ne Kagome?"

"Hai?" She looked at Inuyasha's face to find it lined with a pink tinge.

"You do look good in that bathing suit." Kagome blushed and nodded her head.

'Guess I was right about it after all.' She smiled inwardly and a mischievous giggle took its place. Noticing that Inuyasha's wasn't looking at her, she quickly picked up the hose. She aimed it at him and yelled.

"Oi, Inuyasha!" He turned his head to look at her. "Arigatou!" was all he heard before she let him have in the face...again.

"Oh, you're gonna get it for that wench!" Inuyasha growled. Kagome shrieked with laughter and jumped to her feet. She turned to run in the opposite direction and yelled at him over her shoulder.

"Catch me if you can, dog-boy!"

**_END FLASHBACK_**

"Kagome, are you going to join me for lunch or are you planning to sit here all day?" Kagome looked around and realised that the classroom was empty. Sango was standing to her right with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot.

"Well...fuck." She gathered up her things and headed out the door with Sango, "Here I was waiting for the class to end, cursing the clock and I end up being the last person out." She grumbled. Stopping at their lockers, Kagome thrust her books onto the upper shelf. She took out her lunch and they walked down the hall to the cafeteria. They got to their table to find Miroku already there.

"How are you always here before us?" Sango asked.

"I make it my duty, Lady Sango, so I can greet you lovely ladies with a smile." Miroku replied, putting his actions to words.

"Yeah yeah, sure sure." Sango sat down next to him and Kagome sat next to Sango. Kagome started to take her lunch out of its bag when she remembered something.

"Ne, Sango, weren't you supposed to be meeting up with someone? You said that you wanted up to meet your new friend or something," she said, looking to the woman beside her.

"Hai, I told her to meet us here since we didn't have the same class just now." Kagome nodded her head and looked at her lunch. Even though it looked really good, she really wasn't in the mood to eat. Miroku looked at her as she stared at her food and coughed.

"Daijobouka Kagome?"

"Hai. I just don't feel like eating." What she felt like doing was ditching school to go see Inuyasha. Her life just wasn't the same with out seeing him every day. Kagome had gotten used to it a little too much. Miroku locked eyes with Sango and nodded. Sango reach over and clasped Kagome's hand in her own.

"He's going to be okay, Kagome. Stop worrying so much," she said.

"Is it _that_ obvious?" They both nodded their heads and Kagome sighed, "Gomen, I just can't help thinking that I should be there with him."

"I'll drive you there right after school Kagome, if you'd like?" She looked up at Miroku and smiled.

"Arigatou Miroku, that'd be great." She blinked back tears. Just thinking about Inuyasha in that stark, white hospital bed made her cringe.

"I need a drink of water, be right back ne?" Kagome didn't give either of them time to respond. She just pushed out her chair and walked towards the cafeteria doors. Kagome quickly ran to the bathroom and splashed water on her face to hide the tears.

"Get a grip girl! You shouldn't be crying every time you think about him." Kagome looked at her reflection and silently thanked Sango for not giving her any mascara to wear. She splashed her face again and then grabbed a paper towel to dry herself off. Wiping her face, Kagome threw the damp paper into the trashcan. She opened the door and was heading back to the cafeteria when someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her inside an empty classroom.

"Konichiwa Kagome," a male voice said. Kagome sighed exasperatedly.

"Konichiwa Kouga."

"You don't seem happy to see, my dear Kagome." Kouga said.

"I'm not." She glared at him but he just smirked.

"Aw, that hurt my feelings Kagome." Kagome's hands clenched.

"I'll hurt more than that if you don't let me go right now Kouga," she threatened. His arm was snaked around her waist, the other stroking her thigh. He just stared back at her with desire in his eyes, but Kagome wasn't afraid; she'd seen it all before.

"We wouldn't wanna create a scene now would we?" Kouga grinned, pushing her up against the wall.

"Onegai Kouga, I'm not in the mood for your little games right now," she said, placing her hands on his chest, "Just let me go back to the cafeteria and eat." Kagome tried to push him away but he just tightened his grip on her waist. She was starting to get angry now. Kagome kicked him in the shin and he yelped in pain. Her actions startled him enough for Kagome to catch him off guard and shove him into one of the desks. Kouga growled and jumped to his feet. Then he pushed her back up against the wall, hard.

"You little bitch!" His face was so close to hers, their noses were almost touching and she glared at him.

"Is this how you get your kicks Kouga? By sexually harassing women in the middle of school?" Kagome spat at him.

"Fuck you." Kagome snorted.

"Not in this lifetime pal."

"Why are you being so difficult?"

"Why are you being such an asshole?"

"Fuck you."

"You're really persistent about that aren't you? Ain't ever going to happen, now let me go!" Kagome struggled to get loose of his grip but he just laughed and started trailing kissing down her neck. She shivered; but not from desire. She was shivering from disgust.

"Get the fuck off of me!" she yelled. Kagome could feel the anger rising within her body. She shoved him with all of her strength and he flew into the desks again. Kagome just stood there, taking in sharp breaths and glaring at Kouga.

"If you ever touch me again, you'll truly regret it Kouga." She said, hate pouring off her tongue. All the frustration that had been building up in her the last twenty-four hours was coming out now and she wasn't about to stop it. Kouga got to his feet again and ran at her but Kagome just side stepped him and kicked him in the back. He ran head first into the wall and she almost laughed at his stupidity.

Kagome should not have let her gaze leave him.

Kouga had got to his feet quicker than she had anticipated. He slapped her across the face and landed a punch in the ribs. Kagome swung around to kick him in the side again but he caught her leg. He twirled her around threw her to the ground, but not before she was able to get him in the head with her other foot. Kagome heard him curse under his breath as she got to her feet and smirked.

"Never had a girl who fought back, ne Kouga?" Kagome laughed lightly, "Guess I'm not your average girl." She punched him in the face and he retaliated by doing the same thing. Then Kagome did a back flip and caught the underneath of his chin with her heals. Landing with ease, Kagome looked at Kouga. His nose was now bleeding and so was his lip. There wasn't any blood on her but Kagome knew that she'd have some nice new bruises to show off the next day.

"Bitch," he swore.

"Yeah I know. But the bitch is beating the shit out of you right now, so I wouldn't talk." Kagome smirked again and went into one of the fighting stances Inuyasha had taught her. Inuyasha would have been proud of her and Kagome glowed at the thought. However, her thoughts about Inuyasha caused Kagome to take her focus off Kouga and slip up again.

Kouga tackled her in the side and they both landed on the floor, him on top. He just looked at her and smiled. She smiled too; then kneed him in the balls. Kouga made a high pitched squeak before rolling off of her clutching his groin. Kagome stood up smiling and brushed herself off.

"Thanks for the workout Kouga, I needed it." She stepped over the man as he rolled around on the floor in pain. Kagome just laughed as she exited the classroom; happy that she was finally able to get rid of some of the emotions that had been bottling up inside her all day.

'I guess Kouga is good for _something_.' Kagome thought to herself. As she was walking back to the cafeteria, Kagome passed a couple walking side by side. She wouldn't have given them a second look but she recognized the woman as she spoke.

"Of course honey, I can't wait. You know of some place we can be alone?"

Kagome turned around and watched at the two people headed towards the main doors of the school. The woman was hanging all over a dark-haired man, who seemed to be enjoying it of course, although he looked about seven years older than her. Rage seethed through Kagome again and it took all of her self control to keep herself from jumping on the woman's back and beating the shit out of her as well. Kagome slammed her fist against the wall as one word slipped past her lips.

"Kikyou."

#-#-#

oooh, I think I should have brought bak Kouga so Kag could beat him up again lol. So how wus it? I was planning on getting to the whole 'singing 2 inu at da hospital' thing but den I thot Kag should get 2 beat up someone lol. da song thing will come in da next chapter don't worry! And I'm starting a cardcaptor sakura fic soon so watch out 4 dat. It's gonna b gude!

--Sereia


	9. Song Of The Heart

hey guys dis is da next chap! I noe u guys have bin looking 4ward 2 it lol. jeez, u guys really want inu 2 wake up! Lol, hope u like dis chap!

**Ladykaa28** ur always da 1st 1 2 review gives her a hug thx lol. Kikyo will b humiliated but I can't wake inu up yet. It hasn't even bin a whole day yet! Lol wen I read ur review I got da image of fluffy in spy gear stocking Kikyo rofl. I'm not sure if inu will catch Kikyo in da act, maybe he'll hear sum1 tok about it or sumthing.

**Kaye** wel u'll b happy cuz guess who I start da chap off w/? lol aintchu lucky?

**ArchAngel**** Of Fire ** maybe I should have a Japanese dictionary 'blurb' at da end of each chapter lol. I'm not Japanese but I like how sum words sound in my story. Onegai means please justa letcha noe.

**Sleep walking chicken and HAP ** s'ok ur not alone. I tok 2 cartoon characters 2 and other innatimate objects 4 dat matter #reviewers look at Sereia and sweatdrop# **SesshomaruLover** yes kag will get 2 beat up Kikyo and maybe if ur lucky it'll b in front of inu but we shall c 

**Stone Dragon, Ruby ** yeah wusn't da water fight funy? I had 2 put dat in dere sum how mwahahahaha. I luv awkward scenes like dat.

**Kim** I'm hoping dat will happen dis chapter. Wus s'posta happen in da last 1 but I thot of da flashback thingy and did dat instead

**Shanaka** lol u can't die! I wouldn't get 2 read ur reviews den would i? lol

**Gangsta****-girl ** jeez I noe, who would want 2 cheat on Inuyasha? Lol.

**Melisssa**** Byrd ** yes I thot da water fite was gude 2. and I had 2 let Kag beat up sum1… otherwise every1 wus gonna beat ME up lol

**Hanyou007** lol I'm glad my fic cheered u up. I'll be getting 2 2 of da couples u wanted but ur gonna hafta wait 4 more Kikyo / Naraku stuff. I've got lotsa stuff in store 4 dem mwahahahaha.

**Principessa**** Squish Avina** yes yes u'll get 2 'hear' Kagome sing in dis chapter. And maybe Inuyasha wil 2… #wink# **Lil-kitty-demon077** glad u like it so much #adds lil-kitty-demon077 to her collection of Kikyo haters# ### 

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer ** I don't own Inuyasha but the plot is mine and I would it to stay that way please. And any pieces of clothing that are described in my story also belong to me!

**_Chapter Eight_**

**_  
_****_Song of the Heart_**

"Are you hungry at all?" Kagura looked at the man across from her and swallowed. If someone had told her that she would be having coffee with Sesshomaru Tetsusaiga today, she would have laughed in their face. Never in her life had she ever believed that this would ever happen; at least not in reality. Sure, she had had many dreams about Sesshomaru; Kagura couldn't think of a time when he didn't invade her dreams.  
  
"I-Iie, daijobou." Of course her stomach took that particular time to grumble in protest and she blushed. Sesshomaru just smirked.  
  
"I don't think your stomach agrees with you," he said and Kagura blushed even more. He waved the waitress over and proceeded to order them each something to eat. She didn't look him, just kept her eyes on her coffee cup clasped tightly in her perfectly manicured hands. The warmth felt nice through her fingers and she took another sip. She raised her gaze to look at Sesshomaru and found him staring at her.  
  
"Nani?" she asked angrily. Kagura hated it when people stared at her. It always made her feel self-conscious; as if they were trying to find out her deepest, darkest secret.  
  
"Bettsuni." Sesshomaru said, continuing to stare at her. Kagura scrunched up her face and glared at him.  
  
"Look, why the fuck are you staring at me? Do I have something on my face?" Her temper flared and she felt like chucking something at him. Suddenly, Kagura realised who she was talking to and her hand flew to her mouth in surprise.  
  
"Ah...gomen, sometimes I get carried away," she said, lowering her ruby eyes, "I just don't like it when people stare at me. It makes me think they want something."  
  
"I do want something from you." Her gaze flew back up in confusion. Sesshomaru's face showed no emotion and her stomach fluttered. She could never tell what was going on behind those elegant, golden orbs. Her head was a mass of lust and confusion as she stared at the man sitting across from her. Then she realised what he meant and her heart sagged.  
  
'How could I have been so stupid?' Kagura mentally smacked herself. Sesshomaru didn't really like her, he just wanted information. He probably wanted to meet one of her friends, most likely Kikyou. She always got the most attention even though she was technically with someone at the moment. Kagura really despised the way Kikyou took Inuyasha for granted. She knew, as did the rest of our group, that Kikyou was insanely jealous of her cousin, Kagome. That was the only reason she had asked Inuyasha out in the first place. It was a miracle that he had not found out about all the other men she had been with since they had been going out, because there had been a lot.  
  
Kagura sighed and waited for the inevitable. Sesshomaru's face still showed no emotion and it was almost frightening. She was usually able to read people's moves by the look on their face, but the man in front of her was a complete mystery. A sexy, long haired, well-built mystery, but a mystery none the less.  
  
"And that would be?" Kagura prompted when he didn't say anything. If he was going to ask about Kikyou, Kagura wanted it over with so she could save herself from embarrassment and leave.  
  
"I want you to act normal around me." Sesshomaru said, "And maybe smile a little more." If Kagura had been in a cartoon, her jaw would have dropped to the floor.  
  
"N-n-nani?"   
  
"I can tell you're very nervous Kagura. I did not ask to have coffee with me so you could sit there acting all quiet and shit. That's not who you are and you know it." He sat back in his chair but his eyes never left hers. Kagura was still in shock from his words and he smirked. She wanted to get rid of it but she didn't know whether to smack or kiss it off his handsome face."What did you think I was going to say?" Sesshomaru asked, "That I only asked you out to pump you for information?" Her eyes widened even more and she slowly nodded.  
  
"I thought you were going to ask about Kikyou..." she mumbled. His expression hardened and Kagura swallowed hard. His gaze froze her in place she immediately knew she had said something wrong.  
  
"That tramp that my stupid half-brother is going out with? Why would I want to know anything about her?"  
  
"Never mind, forget I even said that." Kagura said and took another drink of her coffee. Sesshomaru lent forward and she couldn't help but get lost in his golden orbs.  
  
"Let's get this straight Kagura," he said, "I asked _you_ out for coffee. If I had wanted to ask out some slut that has probably slept with every guy in the school, then I would have. But I didn't. I wanted to get to know you; are you okay with that?" She nodded numbly and he smirked again. They stayed like that, allowing each other's breath to wash over their faces, until the waitress came with their food. We ate in silence but Kagura stole more than her share of looks at him. Of course half of them ended up with her blushing redder than a tomato because he would catch her.  
  
After they finished, Sesshomaru ordered them another cup of coffee and Kagura finally decided to break the silence. "What are you planning to major in?"  
  
"I'm not sure yet," he said leaning back in his chair, "I'm taking a bit of everything right now because I haven't found anything I particularly like." She nodded her head in agreement.  
  
"Yeah, it's the same with me. There are so many thing's I want to do but I think I'll end up going into piloting or something."  
  
"Got a thing for heights?"  
  
"Yeah, I really want to do something that involves flying. But I also need something that pays well because I've already got two mouths to feed." Kagura sighed and Sesshomaru looked at her questioningly. Kagura turned her head and looked to her right and out the window. It wasn't snowing anymore but there was still a far amount on the ground. The sky had turned a smoky purple and she could tell that there was going to be more snow soon.  
  
"My parents died a long time ago and I've had to take care of my twin sister, Kanna," she said, "Even though Kanna's older than me, I've always been the one to look after her. I just don't want her to end up on the streets." Kagura continued to look out the window, thinking about her future and what would do in order to keep Kanna safe.

"Kanna may look like a child but she's very smart. She's short for her age and people automatically assume she's a lot younger than she looks. I've always been the one to stick up for her..." Kagura trailed off, unable to go on. She felt her eyes fill up with tears but blinked them back. Kagura refused to cry in front of anyone. It was a sign of weakness and she had promised herself that she would never let her guard down. It was how she survived. Suddenly, Kagura felt Sesshomaru reach over and take her hand in his. He didn't say anything, but he didn't need too. They just sat there, staring into each other's eyes, her hand clasped in his. After what seemed liked hours, he released his hold and stood up.

"Come on, let's get out of here." She nodded and before she could reach for her wallet, Sesshomaru threw some money on the table and lead her out of the café.

"You didn't have to pay for everything you know." He looked back at her and smirked. He had to stop doing that. It was extremely sexy and Kagura felt her nipples harden and push against her shirt. Thankful that was wearing a jacket, Kagura tried not to do anything to let on how much arousal he was causing within her.

"I was the one who invited you wasn't I?" Kagura shrugged her shoulders and continued to walk, a faint blush tinting her cheeks. Her feet crunched in the snow and she looked around in wonder at how white everything was. She shivered a bit and hoped Sesshomaru wouldn't notice.

No such luck.

"Cold?" he asked and Kagura couldn't help but glare at him.

"I'm fine," she snapped. He smirked again. 'Kami-sama I wish he wouldn't do that. It's making it hard for me to concentrate on what he's saying.' Kagura rubbed her hands together trying to savour the little warmth that she had left. She really should have brought her gloves today.

/Well that's what you get for sleeping through your alarm.'/

'Fuck off! I don't need my fuckin' conscience telling me what to do.'

/Well I guess the alarm not going off was a good thing right? If you had woken up on time you never would have ran in Sesshomaru./

'Shut the fuck up!'

/Fine fine. No need to be such a bitch about it./ Kagura shook her head and walked into something. She fell backwards, expecting to hit the cold snow. What she did not expect was to have a strong arm wrap around her waist to keep her from falling on her butt.

"If you're going to keep bumping into me, Kagura," Sesshomaru said, "I may have to keep you on radar." Kagura blushed, but a laugh escaped her lips.

"You go right ahead," she said regaining her balance, "And while you're at it, put the principle on it too, so I can run in the opposite direction when ever she comes near me." Sesshomaru chuckled and opened his car door. Kagura slipped into the passenger seat and put on her seatbelt. She watched Sesshomaru walked around to the driver's side of the car and she suddenly got an idea. As soon as he shut the door, she turned to him with a shy look on her face.

"Ano...Sesshomaru, can I show you something? It's okay if you don't wanna go but I thought that...well...maybe..." Kagura looked down, unable to finish. Sesshomaru started the engine before replying.

"I thought I told you to act normal. Where is this place?"

"It's about a thirty minute drive from here; around Hanyou Point. If you just head towards there, I can direct you when we get close," she said with a slight smile on her face. Sesshomaru nodded and pulled out of his parking spot. About five minutes after they had left the café parking lot, it started to snow. Kagura stared in awe as the white specks swirled around the car.

'If this is a dream, don't let me wake up.'

#-#-#

"That fucking bitch! I swear if she ever comes within fifty feet of me I'm going to fucking kill her." Kagome punched the stall door and left a dent. She was back in the bathroom again. After she had seen Kikyou with some one who looked like a teacher, Kagome had run back to the bathroom in order to prevent herself from hitting somebody. Kagome punched the door again and it banged open.

"Why the fuck does she insist on messing around behind Inuyasha's back?" Kagome said to no one in particular. She couldn't name all the men Kikyou had been with, but it had to average out to at least one every month or so. Kagome could not understand why someone would want to do that.

'Why did she ask Inuyasha out in the first place if she was going to screw every other guy that came her way?' Kagome thought to herself.

/Because she hates your guts./

'Who asked you?'

/You did, no one else is around./

'Yeah well, fuck off!'

/You know that's the reason. First of all, she wanted to get back at her for outdoing her in that talent contest thing./

'Feh, yeah she really hated me after that. Just couldn't accept that I'm better than she is. Goddamn jealous bitch.'

/Told ya./

'And I thought I told you to fuck off.'

/Why I even voice my opinion is beyond me./ The door to the stall Kagome was sitting had stayed open so she punched the side instead. Another dent.

"As soon as Inuyasha wakes up I am so going to rat her out! He doesn't deserve to be treated like this," she said, feeling the anger rise to her face, "And she deserves to burn in the bowels of hell where she came from."

"Planning Kikyou's demise again Kag-chan?" Kagome looked up to see Sango standing in front of her, leaning on the edge of the stall. She smirked.

"No, of course not. Why would I want my dearest cousin in the whole wide world to rot in hell?" she sneered, "She's only dating my best friend, taking him for granted and sleeping with every other guy in the school. Teachers included."

"Fake sincerity doesn't suit you Kagome."

"No shit." Kagome laughed and Sango joined in.

"You also should try to keep from damaging school property as well," she said, eyeing the dent in the side of the stall. Kagome shrugged her shoulders.

"You should see the door. That one is twice as big," she snorted. Sango laughed again and moved out of the way as Kagome stepped out of the stall. She walked to the mirror and looked at her reflection. Her face was a little flushed and it looked like she had put on a lot of blush. Kagome sighed and splashed her face with water. The coolness of the water was relaxing and she let it run down her face. Her azure eyes were still closed when Sango came up beside her and handed her a paper towel.

"Arigatou." Kagome said, taking it. She wiped the remaining water off of her face and threw the paper towel in the garbage. Sango was now leaning against the counter facing away from the sink with her hand in her pockets. Kagome gripped the edge of the counter and stared at her friend.

"So what has the slut done this time?" Kagome sighed and turned around to lean against the counter in the same fashion.

"The usual. I saw her walking out of the school with some guy. I think he may have been a teacher but I've never seen him before." Sango shook her head.

"Does it matter?" she asked.

"Iie, demo that's not the point. She can't go around like this Sango. I can't stand to see her use Inuyasha like this." Kagome closed her eyes and her head dropped back, her face now opposite the ceiling. Sango patted Kagome's arm.

"I know Kagome. Kikyou takes Inuyasha for granted and he can't seem to see through her. But there's nothing you can do." Sango said, trying to comfort her. Kagome's eyes flew open.

"That's what you think," she said, an evil smile forming on her lips. Sango looked at her friend and took a step back.

"Uh oh, I know that look. What are you going to do Kagome?" Sango asked. Kagome started to laugh.

"Something that Kikyou will never forget." Kagome had wanted to get back at Kikyou ever since she had met her. Kikyou had humiliated Kagome too many times and now it was payback time. A plan had started to form in her mind. It was time to bring her cousin down to where she belonged.

Kikyou always thought she was above everyone except her prissy friends but not for much longer. Maybe she would be so embarrassed that she would leave and never come back. Kagome's shoulders started to shake with excitement. Why hadn't she thought of thins before? It was the perfect plan and Kagome knew where she was going to pull it off: the Winter Dance.

Suddenly the door to the bathroom opened, interrupting Kagome's wicked thought. The two women turned around with a start, hoping it wasn't the very person they were talking about. They stared in disbelief as Miroku walked in.

"Sango you took so long that I thought I'd come and check to see if you were alright," he said, as if walking into the women's washroom was a normal thing for him. Which, knowing Miroku, probably was. They stood in silence and Kagome blinked a few times. She wasn't really sure if this was actually happening. Then Sango came back to reality and screamed.

"You fucking hentai! What the hell are you doing coming in here?!" She walked up to Miroku and punched him in the face. Miroku flew out of the women's washroom and smashed into the wall. Sango slammed the door and turned around, her hands clenched in fists at her sides. Kagome tried to control herself but she just couldn't help it; she burst out laughing. Sango glared at her.

"Shut the fuck up," she mumbled. Kagome just continued to laugh until tears were pouring down her face.

"I swear, if I didn't see that everyday, my life would be considerably boring," she said. Sango just glared at her and she shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess we should get going ne? I think we've spent all of lunch hour in here." Kagome giggled. She laughed too and nodded. They walked out of the washroom to find Miroku still on the ground, unconscious. Sango grabbed his collar and dragged him behind them.

'Get ready, Kikyou. You messed with the wrong girl.'

#-#-#

"Kami-sama, I thought this day would never end." Kagome groaned, taking her bag out of her locker and slammed it shut. She put on her jacket, knowing it would still be snowing and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

"How many times have you said that since we left the classroom?" Sango asked, closing her own locker.

"I don't know, three times?" Kagome guessed. She spun the combination part of the lock to make sure no one could open it, and then turned around to face Sango.

"Seven, but who's counting?" Sango laughed and she joined in.

'This is a good end to the day.' Kagome thought to herself. It had been tough to control herself after watching Kikyou leave with that man, but some how the raven-haired women had maintained her composure.

"I asked Miroku to drive you to the hospital after school." Sango said, putting on her coat. Kagome looked at her friend as her sapphire eyes widened.

"You didn't have to do that. I mean, I wasn't really planning too—"

"Anyone ever tell you you're a terrible liar, Kagome?" Sango put her arm on Kagome's shoulder. Kagome felt her eyes burn and she blinked to prevent any tears from showing.

"Gomen, I don't wan to trouble you..." she trailed off.

"Trouble me? Kagome, what's troubling me is seeing you like this," she said, "You put on a mask, thinking no one can see your pain but it doesn't work with me. I know how you're feeling; you need to see him." A single tear tickled down Kagome's cheek and she put her arms around her friend.

"Arigatou Sango. You're all a woman needs in a friend." Sango hugged her back and giggled.

"I'll remind you of that the next time I ask you for money." Kagome laughed and pulled out of the hug. Sango smiled.

"Now come one, I'm sure Miroku is already waiting for us outside." Kagome nodded and wiped away her tears.

They walked towards the entrance of the school and Kagome opened the doors to see light, fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky. She stood in the doorway and took in the wonderful scene in front of her. The trees were lined with a layer of snow and the footprints people had made had almost disappeared.

"Sugoi."

"Ah," Sango agreed. "I could never get tired of seeing thing everyday. Although I still thing going to the beach would be better." Kagome smiled; Sango preferred the summer sun while she liked the winter snow. It made everything look so tranquil and calm that it made her soul feel completely. She breathed deeply and twirled around. The snowflakes spun around with her, as if she was stuck inside a tornado. Kagome raised her arms in the air and laughed. She ran to the top of the steps and stopped.

Yesterday's events flowed into her mind and suddenly Kagome found it hard to breathe. She could remember the fear that had shaken her when she couldn't find Inuyasha. She remembered running through the snow looking for him. And then suddenly, there he was. Kagome could see Inuyasha's body lying on the snow, the pure white surface stained with his blood. She gasped as the red started to encircle her. Kagome tried get away, but everywhere she turned there was more red. It swirled around her until darkness enveloped her and she fell to the ground.

The next thing Kagome knew, she was lying in someone's arms and Sango was calling her name. Kagome tried to focus on her voice but all she could see was a gigantic blur. Blinking a few times, she slowly opened her eyes again. Sango was bending over her with a worried look on her face.

"Kagome? Kagome daijobouka?" Kagome shook her head a little and shivered. She could feel the wetness of the snow soaking into her clothes and she tried to sit up but someone forced her back down.

"No don't get up yet, you could have some kind of back injury or something." Sango said putting her hand on Kagome's shoulder and squeezed it slightly.

"Shit Kagome, what happened? One minute you're standing in front of me, admiring the view and the next thing I know you're sprawled out in Miroku's arms at the bottom of the stairs." Kagome looked at her in confusion, then to her right to find Miroku holding her in his arms. She blushed and pushed herself out of his grasp.

"You shouldn't move Kagome." Miroku said. Kagome looked at him and glared slightly.

"Daijobou." She got to her feet with Sango's help and brushed herself off. Then she looked around; Inuyasha's bloody body was nowhere to be seen. There was no red, only the chaste whiteness of the snow. Kagome sighed in relief and turned to her friends. They looked at her with worry and Kagome almost cringed at her stupidity. She hadn't seen Inuyasha; he was safe and sound, so to speak, in the hospital.

"Gomen," she mumbled.

"What happened Kag-chan? Did you not eat enough today or something?" Kagome shook her head and looked at the ground. She could feel tears coming again and said something incomprehensible.

"Nani?" Sango questioned.

"I saw his body," Kagome said meeting her gaze, "I saw his body, Sango! I saw him and the blood and I couldn't take it! There was red everywhere and I couldn't get away!" She started to shake and Miroku took her in his arms.

"Don't worry Kagome. You found him in time and now he's going to be fine. You saved him."

"How do you know?" Kagome asked angrily, pushing away from him, "You have no idea; no one does if he's going to be fine."

"No we don't. But that doesn't mean we've given up hope. We keeping waiting everyday for news on his condition and we'll continue to wait until he wakes up. Which he will. You just have to be patient Kagome." She looked at Miroku with tears in her eyes and sighed.

"I've tried but everywhere I go I see something that reminds me of him and how I could have helped him. I felt something that morning! I felt something bad was going to happen but I just shrugged it off!"

"You couldn't have known Kagome." Sango said, "You are not a fortune teller; you can't tell what's going to happen to people before it actually happens. There was nothing you could do." The tears poured down Kagome's face at her friend's words.

"I know! That's the problem. Inuyasha has spent his life protecting me and the one time he needed my help I wasn't there. I wasn't able to protect him like he'd done for me..." she trailed off and they stood in silence.

"You can't be with him all the time." Sango said after a while.

"But I want to be." Sango and Miroku exchanged a knowing glance and Kagome's hand flew to her mouth.

"I m-mean...I d-d-didn't mean..." she stuttered. Sango and Miroku just smiled.

"We know Kagome." Kagome looked them and the side of her mouth curved up into a smile.

"I'm pretty pathetic, aren't I?" she said, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. They both laughed.

"No, I think that job's already been taken by the guy we're about to see." Kagome smiled again and sighed. She was dong that a lot lately.

"Why did I ever think I could hide this from you guys."

"Maybe you hit your head one too many times when you were little." Miroku said, "Come on, I owe you a ride to a certain hospital to see a certain man." He led them towards the parking lot. They reached Miroku's car and Kagome got into the backseat while Sango got into the passenger side. Rubbing her hands together, Kagome tried to warm them up a little while looked out the window. It was still snowing.

#-#-#

"Ah, good to see you again miss. Come to see that boyfriend of yours?" Kagome laughed.

"Konichiwa Anne. Hai, I'm here to see Inuyasha demo he's not my boyfriend." Anne's eye's twinkled and she laughed.

"Hai hai, I know. But you could have fooled me with the way you spent so much time here." Kagome smiled and started towards the elevator. It had been a week since Inuyasha's accident and she had been coming to see him every single day after school. That day she had passed out on the steps had thrown her off a little and she had never been able to sing to Inuyasha. She just hadn't been in the mood.

"Going to sing to Inuyasha today miss?" Kagome's eyes widened and she turned around to face Anne. She winked and Kagome blushed.

'How did she know I was planning to sing to Inuyasha at all?' she asked herself as she stared at the old woman. Anne just laughed.

"I've heard you humming when I when I pass you in the halls Kagome. I figured that it would happen someday." Kagome smiled and nodded.

"Hai, I was actually going to do it last week but something came up and I didn't feel up to it," she admitted. Anne nodded and Kagome turned back towards the elevator as the doors opened. She was about to walk in when someone with dark hair walked out.

"I hope Inuyasha hasn't woken up," Kagome said with a smirk, "Wouldn't want your ugly face to be the first thing he sees. He'd end up going into shock and end up in another coma." Kikyou glared at her, but Kagome didn't meet her gaze. She walked right past her cousin and into the elevator and pressed the button for Inuyasha's floor. Kikyou put her foot in the doorway to prevent them from closing.

"Just remember that I'm the one who's going to get kiss him hello when he wakes up," she said. Kagome lifted her foot and dug her heel into Kikyou's foot. She cringed and Kagome looked her right in the eyes.

"And you remember this, you fucking whore. You keep up acting like a slut and I'll make sure you never go near Inuyasha again." Kikyou looked at her in shock and Kagome smiled, "What's the matter bitch? Had to skip school to see Inuyasha because all your free time is spent fucking other men? I now all about you being the 'teacher's pet' in Chemistry. I bet Inuyasha would love to hear about that."

"You little bitch! You have no idea who you're dealing with!" Kikyou said, her voice rising. Kagome just laughed.

"Oh I think I know exactly who I'm dealing with. A little good for nothing slut who thinks she can go around fucking every man she sees, while her boyfriend lies in a coma. Be careful Kikyou, your past may come back to haunt you." And with that Kagome kicked her foot and the elevator doors closed.

"Well, that put me in a good mood." Kagome said to herself. She reached the floor Inuyasha was on and started towards his room. She opened the door and slipped into his room quietly. Inuyasha lay on the bed as usual, with machines blinking around him. It never changed, no matter how much she wished it to be. Kagome pulled up a chair and sat down beside him.

"Konichiwa Inuyasha, daijobouka? I'm doing alright, demo I wish it would snow again. The sun's been out too much lately so all the snow is melting." There was still some snow on the ground but Kagome wanted it to look light and fluffy instead of pressed down by people's footprints. She took off her jacket and rested it on her lap. Her lavender turtleneck was enough to keep her warm inside the hospital.

"I've got a surprise for you today Inuyasha," she said, taking his hand. "You remember that play thing we did in high school? That was fun wasn't it? Although I think I got more out of it than you. That ending scene was my favourite." Kagome clasped his hand in both of hers tightly.

"I sang that song from the bottom of my heart, Inuyasha. I put everything I had into that song and you always said you never liked the song until you heard me sing it. So I thought I'd sing it for you today, is that alright Inuyasha?" She took a deep breath and began to sing. The notes tumbled off her tongue flawlessly and she felt like she was back in the forest. She was the girl lying on the ground once again, singing to the one she thought she had lost.

_"Don't leave me in all this pain  
Don't leave me out in the rain  
Come back and bring back my smile  
Come and take these tears away."_

Kagome opened her eyes and looked at Inuyasha's sleeping form. She touched his cheek lovingly and continued.

_"I need your arms to hold me now  
The nights are so unkind  
Bring back those nights when I held you beside me."_

As she began the chorus, Kagome remembered something Sango had told her that day.

**_"You're going to be the one to lead him home, Kagome. You keep holding on and I know he's going to wake up to your voice."_**

_"Un-break my heart.__  
Say you'll love me again  
Undo this hurt you caused  
When you walked out the door  
And walked outta my life."_

'I hope you're right, Sango. I couldn't stand it if he woke up in Kikyou's arms.' Kagome thought to herself and started to sing a little louder.

_"Un-cry these tears  
I cried so many nights  
Un-break my heart,  
My heart."_

#-#-#

Inuyasha was in the fog again. He had not been able to find a way out and he still didn't know who that woman was.

'I wonder how long I've been here,' he asked himself, 'It feels like hours.' Inuyasha stood up and brushed himself off. He looked around for some sort of clue that may have helped but as usual, all he saw was grey. Shrugging hi shoulders, he started walking in no particular direction. Then suddenly he heard something. It was very faint, but he could still hear it. Inuyasha stood absolutely still in order to focus on the sound. It didn't sound like talking; more like more like singing but he couldn't make out the words.

He struggled to hear the voice more clearly. It was as if the mist around him was blocking off any outside sound. Inuyasha felt like he was in a glass cage, except for the fact that he couldn't see s damn thing. Frustration was filling his entire body because the noise was just out of reach of his senses.

Then, suddenly, it was as if a path had been cleared. Inuyasha could hear the song perfectly and the voice was so angelic that he smiled. He found that strange because not a lot of things could make him smile so easily.

_"Take back that sad word good-bye  
Bring back the joy to my life  
Don't leave me here with these tears  
Come and kiss this pain away"_

'I've heard this before.' Inuyasha thought to himself. He could not quite place it but he knew he recognised the song; and the voice. It was soft and sincere and felt a calming sensation wash over him as he listened.

_"I can't forget the day you left  
Time is so unkind  
And life is so cruel without you here beside me."_

"Kagome," he whispered. It was Kagome. She had sung this song at the end of their grade twelve play. Her character had thought she'd lost the one she loved and so she had just started to sing.

"I'm here, Kagome. I can hear you." Inuyasha said closing his eyes and letting her voice surround him.  
  
_"Un-break my heart.__  
Say you'll love me again  
Undo this hurt you caused  
When you walked out the door  
And walked outta my life."_

'It sounds different. She didn't sing it like this back then. It's more filling this time, as if she's reaching out for something,' he thought. Inuyasha tried to find where Kagome was coming from but her voice was everywhere. In the end, he just stood there and listened as she sang to him.

_"Un-cry these tears  
I cried so many nights  
Un-break my heart  
My heart."_

#-#-#

'Can you hear me Inuyasha? I'm going to lead you back, please hear my voice and follow it. You don't know how much I miss you.'

_"Don't leave me in all this pain  
Don't leave me out in the rain  
Bring back the nights when I held you beside me."_

"Kagome." Her eyes flew open as Inuyasha's voice echoed in her head. She stared at him as he lay there in the starch white hospital bed.

'Did that just happen? Did we just connect somehow?' she thought hopefully. Kagome leaned forward and put her head on his chest, still holding his hand. Her raven hair fanned out behind her and she pushed a tray lock out of her eyes.  
  
_"Un-break my heart.__  
Say you'll love me again  
Undo this hurt you caused  
When you walked out the door  
And walked outta my life."_

'Come back to me.'

_"Un-cry these tears  
I cried so many, many nights."_

Kagome closed her eyes and sleep started to take over, causing her voice to soften. She sang the last part of the song with all of her heart and soul, hoping it would reach Inuyasha somehow. She looked at his face and felt a tug at her heartstrings.

_"Un-break my heart  
Come back and say you love me  
Un-break my heart  
Sweet darlin'."  
  
_

'I'll be here when you wake up, Inuyasha. I promise. Just come back soon.'

_"Without you I just can't go on,  
Can't go on."_

As the last words exited her mouth, Kagome smiled. Inuyasha had heard her. She didn't know why she knew, but somehow she knew he had heard. With that happy thought on her mind, Kagome allowed herself to be taken over by sleep. Squeezing his hand one last time, she whispered three words.

"I love you." Then her breathing evened out and she fell asleep. It was only early afternoon but Kagome was completely exhausted. Too much energy had been spent worrying about Inuyasha and what she was planning to do to Kikyou at the up coming dance.

However, if Kagome stayed awake a second longer, she would have felt Inuyasha squeeze her hand back.

#-#-#

Bettsuni - nothing

wel how wus dat? I finally got the singing thing in. lotsa ppl were waiting 4 dat but I just couldn't find the rite time 2 put it in. da song is Unbreak My Heart by Toni Braxton if u wanted to download it or sumthing. Really gude song. and yes a week has now passed. I had 2 speed it up a little didn't I? I mean all of u were asking me when inu was gonna wake up bt it had only bin a DAY! Jeez… wel I hope u liked da chap and please read my one-shot dat I put up. Its from Kikyou's pov but she dusn't get Inuyasha (would she ever? Lol) it's really sweet so please chek it out and let me now wut u think! Arigatou and ja ne.

--Sereia


	10. Conspiracy's Rainbow

hey u guys! I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sry dat I took so long 2 update but u have NO idea how busy I've been! Plus, ½ of da next chapter 4 my other story got erased so it kinda bummed me out. O welz, heres da next chap and just 2 let ppl noe: inu did NOT wake up in da last chap. He just squeezed kag's hand. U noe how ppl in coma's will move sum times even doe dey're not awake? Wel dats wut happened. Dun worry, inu WILL b waking up in da next chap or so. Prolly in da 1 after dis 1 actually, we shall hafta c. Mwahahahaha I have sumthing in store 4 him when he wakes up… and 2 all of u who wanted a lemon, u get ur wish in dis chap. Aldoe I don't think its between da cuple u wanted it 2 b smiles evilly sry, but I gotta put it in! Also, I've change the pov to 3rd person because it's easier to write that way. Hope dat ain't a problem!

**ladykaa28** ur always da 1st person 2 review lol. Da plan won't come in2 play until after inu wakes up and yes it prolly wont go completely rite but dey never do, do dey? Lol.

**Shatteredjade** he didn't wake up. He just squeezed kag's hand. Sry not awake yet, maybe next chapter.

**InuYasha'sgirl** yeah sry about da grammer, 1 of my friends is gonna b my beta reader frum now on so u can blame her 4 all do mistakes lol.

**Principessa**** Squish Avina** sry 4 not updating so soon andi noe d song thing was corny but it fit in so well! Ur like me, hurting ur toes a lot. I tend 2 walk in2 doorways, weird huh lol. **Renzokuken****-Shiva** yeah it's a gude song huh? I really like it 2, dats y I put it in. **hanyou007** I'm sry I took so long dis time. I'll b quicker w/ da next chap and I'm thinking of doing a xmas special or sumthing. **Sam** ur like me, I tend 2 skip stuff so I hafta make myself read things slower lol. **Inuyasha Loves Kagome2991** I'm glad u read my fics cuz I read urs lol. Kag will get 2 kiss inu (of COURSE) but not 4 a while. He's still technically going out w/ uber bitch but not for LONG! Mwahahahaha. **Kim** I dunno how long dis fic will b. I've got a lot planned still so I'm hoing at least 20 chapters or so. **Kaye** if u like sess and Kagura pairing ur gonna love dis chap 2 mwahahahaha. **Loki-TheGrimScreamer** no he didn't hear dat part, only her song, sry! He will eventually hear her say dat just not yet. **MoodSightEyes** dun worry I plan 2 have about 20 chapters or so! Still lots 2 do. **Suzuko** I never give up on things! It may take me a while 2 update but I plan 2 finish every story I start! ### 

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer** I don't own Inuyasha but da plot is mine and I would like 2 keep it dat way or I will have 2 hunt u down and stab u with my many forks! **_WARNING!!! _**I'm not going 2 go into how dis is a lemon chap and ppl under 17 chouldnt read it bcuz I think dats stupid. #1 dis fic is under rated R stuff so I think u noe wut ur in 4 and #2 many ppl r mature enuff 4 stuff like dis even if dey aren't 17 yet. Just wanted 2 let u noe dat dere IS a lemon (my first so yay 4 me) and I hope u enjoy it. 

**_Chapter Nine_**

**__**

**_Conspiracy's Rainbow_**

It had been a while since he had had the joy of watching someone squirm. He relished the thought of who he was going to torture next and smiled. It was more fun to play around with the person before killing him, entertaining really.

"Last night was a night to remember," he said aloud. He was laying on his king sized bed, still in the clothes he had worn the day before. His hands were behind his head, giving him a rather relaxed look. His thoughts drifted and he smiled again. Why were people so stupid? Was it just a small group or the entire human race?

"I mean really, who walks into a deserted alley way with a complete stranger? Honestly." He shook his head and sighed. He guessed it was lucky that there were a few stupid ones around, because if there weren't, he wouldn't be able to have as much fun as he did. The woman's cries for mercy still rang loud and clear in his mind and he chuckled. He loved toying with his victims; there was no question about that. It was much more fun than just plain killing them.

"They never realise what's happening until it's too late," he said, "Maybe my face is too trusting." He chuckled again and brought his head up a bit so he could release one of his lands. He reached over to his bed side table and picked up a small knife. He brought it in front of his face and examined it closely. The blade was about six inches long and gleamed in the sunlight that trickled in through the windows. The handle was custom made and he was very proud of the design.

The handle was long enough to allow a firm grasp around it and it fit his hand perfectly. If it hadn't he probably would have killed the man who made it. The part that separated the handle from the actual blade was half an inch thick with a name inscribed on it. The name ran across the back of it so it couldn't be seen when the knife was being held. It had been something he had come up with himself and he felt that the knife qualified enough to bear it.

'_Silver Tiger_.' The man turned the knife around and watched its reflection on the ceiling, "Such a fitting name, even if I do say so myself." He held the dagger by the blade but made sure he didn't clasp it too tightly; he did not want to ruin his clothes, even they were already dirty. His gaze returned to the handle; it almost looked as if it was a stack of coins because the ridges leading up to the end were so precise. The end consisted of a small tiger. Its face was turned as if it was seeking him as prey. The opal eyes gleamed back at him and he rubbed his thumb across the diamond stripes.

"Don't worry my pet. Today's a new day and I can hear the innocent blood calling out," he said to the knife, "Although, I would rather spill _hers_ then anyone else's." He had been bent on revenge for what _she_ had done to him and he was becoming impatient. He wanted to watch her struggle against him and plead for forgiveness, to see her blood pour out of her body and her chest stop moving. That would be a day he would never forget.

"That bitch!" he cursed, squeezing the dagger, "She will pay for what she did too me. And her stupid mutt won't be able to help her!" The man's insane laughter echoed through the empty house. Yes, he would have his revenge and he would have it soon. He didn't think he could wait until Inuyasha was awake. No, he would do it before he woke up. It didn't matter what that other woman had told him. It didn't matter how much he would have liked to see the look on Inuyasha's face when he killed her. It didn't matter that his own blood was making a bright red trail down his arm. What mattered was the bitch getting what she deserved.

He suddenly realised the pain coming from his hand and he released the knife. Blood was steadily pumping from the thin red line on his right palm. He cursed and got up from the bed. He headed to the bathroom and wrapped a towel around his hand, the pure whiteness now stained with red. Putting his hands on the counter, he looked at himself in the mirror. His handsome reflection stared back at him and he sighed.

"I need to be more careful," he said looking down at his hand. He was about to get the first aid kit out of the cupboard when his cell phone rang. Cursing again, he left the bathroom and went over to the chair that stood across from his bed. He fished his phone out of his jacket pocket and answered it on the fourth ring.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Have fun last night?" a sweet, feminine voice said from the other end of the line.

"Don't I always?" he said, a grin softening his features.

"Hai, I suppose you do. Nothing to conspicuous I hope," the woman said.

"Iie, just another slut," the male said, crossing the room. He sat down on his bed and put his elbows on his knees while holding his phone between his ear and shoulder.

"Good, I don't want you attracting any attention. She can't know you're here yet."

"When are you going to stop fucking around and let me do the job?" he said. He heard the woman sigh from the other end and could just picture her shaking her head.

"I told you, not until he wakes up. That way you get revenge on both of them."

"I don't care about the stupid bastard!" he snapped, "I just want the bitch to die."

"I know and so do I but you must be patient."

"I'm fed up with being fucking patient!" he yelled into the phone, "I want to do it now!"

"Calm down! Kami, you have the shortest temper ever," the woman sighed again, "You'll get your chance, but don't you think it would be better to do it in front of Inuyasha?"

"Why should I give him any reason to tear me apart?" the man asked lying back against his bed, "Why should he know I'm here? I should just get her now and when he wakes up he can find out how he was unable to protect her."

"He'll be too weak to do anything about it if you choose the right time," the woman replied, "If you keep a sharp eye on her and Inuyasha, then you'll be able to strike right after he wakes up." He grabbed the sheet and balled his hand into a fist.

"Fine, whatever," he said, too tired to fight anymore. He was not going to listen to this bitch any longer anyways. He had his own agenda now and planned follow it according to his rules.

"I'm glad you've come to reason," he snorted.

"Like I said, whatever. Just make sure she's alone. Although more suffering would be lovely, I don't want any complications." He relaxed a little and let go of the sheet.

"Hai, I don't think anyone goes with her anyways. It'll devastate them when they find out about her little accident." He could almost hear the amusement in her voice.

"You really hate her that much?" he asked. He had never really known the whole truth behind this woman's hatred, not that he really cared anyways. But he still wanted to know if she hated his next victim as much as he did.

"You have no idea," she said.

"Obviously."

"Just make sure there's nothing left behind."

"Hai hai. I'm not stupid. And besides, I don't plan on their being any conflicts."

"Right, well, I'll call you again to discuss further details. Everything must be perfect."

"Hai, ja ne." With that he closed his phone and rested his arm over his eyes.

'This is going to be so much fun,' the male thought to himself.

#-#-#

Kikyou hung up the phone and sighed, 'This guy is getting on my nerves. I'm just glad that he's going to do that bitch in.' She rolled onto her stomach and frowned at her pillows.

"Trouble, honey?" The man beside her shifted his position so he was closer to her, then reached out and started stroking her bare back.

"No, Naraku. Just the _Silver Tiger_ getting impatient." His caress was gradually getting lower.

"Ah, your little plan."

"Hai. He's wants to get it over with but I want to be able to see Inuyasha's face when he's watches her die," Kikyou said. Naraku was now gently rubbing her butt and it was pissing Kikyou off. Normally, she loved having sex with Naraku; who wouldn't? He was well built and had the stamina of a teenager. He was also mature enough to have acquired a lot of skill and experience. But Kikyou's temper overrode her arousal. Her mind was on the phone call and how much the man on the other end wanted to make his next kill. Naraku started to prod her with two fingers.

"Stop it! I'm not in the mood," she snapped and shook her ass to dislodge his fingers.

"But I am." Naraku smirked. Kikyou looked over at him and glared. She turned her gaze back to her pillows and sank into them, sliding her arms behind them. Inuyasha had been in a coma for over two weeks now and she was beginning to think that he wasn't going to wake up in time to take her to the winter dance. She had been really looking forward to that and was not about miss out on any fun. However, showing up at the dance in anyone's arms but Inuyasha's would cause some suspicion.

Sure, Kagome and her friends knew about Kikyou's many one week stands, but she did not want the whole student body talking behind her back as well. Inuyasha was her boyfriend and even if she had to lose him during a few dances, she was going to have to arrive and leave with him. He wouldn't mind; he knew how popular she was. It was Kagome that concerned her.

Kikyou's sweet little cousin was getting to be a real pain in the ass. Kikyou hadn't been able to be alone with Inuyasha at the hospital unless she cut class because Kagome was there before and after school. She even stayed on the weekends and did her homework there.

'That conniving little bitch!' Kikyou mentally cursed, 'You'll get what's coming to you. And you won't even realise it until it's too late. I can't wait to see the look on your face when your heart stops beating.' Kikyou smiled and buried her face in her pillows. Naraku was still trying to probe her from behind but she kept her muscles firmly clenched so he couldn't get any further. It was funny, after she had starting sleeping with Naraku, none of the other men seemed to measure up. He seemed to out do them in every way and she was content to just have him for the time being. Sure, she would let him go sooner or later, like she always did; but if he was always this good, he would be staying for a while.

And the perfect thing about it was that no one suspected. It was forbidden for a student and a teacher to be involved and so as long as nothing serious happened at school, they were safe. She shuddered as Naraku started to trail kisses down her spine. She wondered how he knew the exact spots that aroused her the most. He paused slightly and kissed the dimple right above her butt cheeks. Her muscles were still tense; she refused to let him be in control and besides, her mind was somewhere else.

She wanted to do something to Kagome that would make her pay for how she had humiliated her before. She wanted to do something that would last and would cause Kagome a lot of pain. Her thoughts drifted back to the little stunt Kagome had pulled in the elevator and anger rose up through her body.

'How dare she?! Who did she think she was?! That little whore,' Kikyou thought, trying to fight off Naraku's probing fingers at the same time, 'I'm Inuyasha's girlfriend; he picked me not her! She needs to get that through her thick skull.' The only thing that kept Kikyou from killing Kagome herself was the fact that Kagome could defend herself extremely well. Kikyou had never been that skilled in self defence but after Inuyasha had finished with Kagome's personal training, Kikyou had actually been afraid of her cousin. She had watched her with Inuyasha a few times, just to make sure it didn't go further than just training, and she had been amazed at how fast Kagome had picked things up.

Pretty soon, she had been able to give even Inuyasha a run for his money, which was what he had been aiming for. Inuyasha was one of the best fighters Kikyou had ever seen; so when he ended up on his back with Kagome on his chest, she had been scared for the first time in her life. The only thing that had kept Kagome from using her new found skills on Kikyou was the fact that her self confidence had been ridden into the ground when Inuyasha had accepted Kikyou's movie invitation. Kagome had missed her chance to fight for the man she loved and now she was paying the price.

However, the price has evidently run its course, because now Kagome was starting to fight back. This angered Kikyou immensely. She had had the upper hand until Kagome had found Inuyasha on the brink of death in the snow. That seemed to have hit her harder than Kikyou had thought and now she was anxious about the whole situation. She had to do something that would tear Kagome down a notch and she had to do it soon. Kikyou searched her brain but couldn't think of anything right off the top of her head and it angered her. She stretched in frustration and Naraku took that opportunity to slide his fingers in all the way.

Kikyou bit her pillow to stifle her moan. His fingers moved in and out of her in a slow, seductive way and she knew he was enjoying it more than her. He loved to see her squirm in these kinds of situations; it gave him pleasure watching her discomfort. Kikyou arched her back, wanting more of his penetrations but as soon as she moved, his fingers stopped. She growled and turned to glare at him.

"Just do it!" she snapped. Naraku smirked and removed his fingers. He lent over and trailed more kisses down her back, the head of his penis poking her in the hip. Then he grabbed her shoulder and flipped her onto her back. Naraku captured Kikyou's lips in a hungry kiss while positioning himself overtop of her. He trailed his tongue along her teeth before engaging her own tongue in their usual battle. Kikyou sought dominance but she knew Naraku was not going to give in this time. He lifted his head up after what seemed like hours and kissed Kikyou's neck, sending shivers down her spine.

Naraku continued the butterfly kisses until he reached the middle of her breasts. He kissed the top of each one before capturing the right one in his mouth. Kikyou almost screamed. Naraku encircled the tight nipple with his tongue before slightly sucking on it. Kikyou grabbed the sheet of the bed in her hands and let out a moan. Heat pooled in her loins and her breath came out in short gasps. Then Naraku nipped her nipple with his teeth and an electric shock went through Kikyou's body. He was fondling her other breast at the same time so it wouldn't feel left out and Kikyou was about to explode.

Naraku raised his head and smirked at Kikyou before switching breasts. His hand messaged her right breast while he surrounded her left nipple with light kisses. The small pink bud was stiff and Naraku kissed it hard before taking it in his mouth. He teased her with his teeth and Kikyou gasped. How was he able to do this to her? Render her so weak, so fast. Kikyou ran her hands through his long brown hair and pressed him closer. Naraku knew she was getting restless and sucked harder, sending Kikyou over the edge.

When Kikyou's breath had eased, Naraku caught her lips with his. He pressed down with his head and pushed his tongue into her mouth with urgent hunger. Their tongues entangled with other and Kikyou smiled. Naraku's hunger for her had yet to be tamed and she wasn't complaining. She ran her tongue along his teeth and then pulled back for air. His penis was right above her opening and she raised her hips in anticipation. Naraku evidently got the idea and smirked.

"Impatient, are we?" he asked, his voice husky as he propped himself up on his elbows. Kikyou put her hand on his well chiselled chest and ran her fingers up and down.

"Damn right," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down into another violent kiss. Naraku growled and pushed into her. No matter how many times they had sex, Kikyou never got over how satisfying Naraku was. He filled her so completely that she was almost afraid that he would hurt her with his size. But she was always amazed at how well they fit together; like two pieces of a puzzle. Her ivory skin was now tinted with a light pink as Naraku moved back and forth. The only sound in the room was their movement against the bed sheets and rapid breathing.

Naraku pounded into Kikyou and she lifted up her hips with every thrust, taking him deeper. He filled her to the hilt and she dug her nails into his back. Kikyou's fever was building faster with each plunge of Naraku's pelvis and both of their bodies were now covered in sweat. The heat from the friction of their skin caused steam to roll off their bodies and Kikyou didn't know how long she could hold up.

She did not want to give in so soon and she could tell that Naraku was fighting it too. Then Naraku grabbed the bed post above her head and pulled as hard as he could. Naraku knew that Kikyou liked to be handled rough and sure enough, her head flew back and she exploded. Kikyou faintly heard herself scream but it sounded very far away.

Naraku thrust twice more before shuddering and emptying himself into her. He collapsed on top of her but made sure she was still able to breathe. Their breath was short and staggered. Kikyou watched the steam rise up off their bodies; she hadn't noticed how tight Naraku's back got when they had sex but it put her at ease to find he was just as hungry as her. Kikyou was content to lay there with Naraku draped over her but as soon as their breathing eased, all her troubles came pouring back.

She still had to figure out what to do about Kagome; before that impatient bastard did his job. She wanted to humiliate her cousin, to show her that she was not one to be messed with. The only thing was, Kikyou didn't know what to do. She couldn't fight Kagome, she had already established that. She would have to think of something that would really hurt her so called beloved cousin, something that would rip heart her heart to shreds. Kikyou sighed as Naraku slid off her and lay beside her in the bed. She turned to look at him and he smirked.

"Relaxed?" he asked. Kikyou couldn't help but smile. She moved a piece of his hair from his face and put it behind his ear.

"Hai, a little," she said, "Although I think we may have to turn the heat down a little if you're planning to relax me again." Naraku smirked again and leaned over to kiss Kikyou lightly on the lips. Kikyou responded just enough to tempt him. Then he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close. Kikyou nestled against him and inhaled his scent. That was another thing she never got tired of: Naraku's smell. Full of his spicy after shave but now it mingled with sweat and was totally male. She felt herself starting to doze and so she closed her eyes.

'I'll talk to Yura, Kanna and Kagura about Kagome tomorrow. They'll know how to deal that stupid bitch,' Kikyou thought. Then she put her hand on Naraku's chest and let sleep completely claim her.

#-#-#

"Remind me never to listen to you again," Sesshomaru grumbled. Kagura just rolled her eyes. She hadn't said that they were going to have to walk through a forest-like path to get to where she wanted to be and Sesshomaru was getting more and more agitated.

"It is worth it," she said, not looking back, "Trust me."

"I think that was my first mistake." Kagura hoped that her hair was thick enough to hide her blush because her face was redder then a tomato. She knew from experience that trust was the hardest thing to give away. And Sesshomaru was no exception. He was probably one of the most untrusting people in the entire school; no make that the entire world. His stare could freeze a person in his tracks. The path was covered in about six inches of snow but the bottoms of the trees had hardly any. Kagura pushed a branch out of her way and carelessly let it go after she had passed by.

"Itai! Kuso..." Kagura immediately stopped and slowly turned around to see a very angry Sesshomaru. Evidently, he had been right behind her and the branch had whacked him right in the face. Tall as he may have been, climbing up a hill made the branch right at head level. Sesshomaru stood there, with his arms crossed, glaring at Kagura. She just stared at him and although she tried to keep it in, burst out laughing. Kagura felt Sesshomaru's ice cold gaze on her, but she couldn't stop laughing.

"May I ask what is so funny?" Sesshomaru snapped. Kagura was hunched over, clutching her stomach. Sesshomaru's thick silver hair was full of brown, dried up leaves and dirt. Kagura had never seen so much as a speck of dust on Sesshomaru and it made him look so funny she couldn't hold it in. When she was finally able to catch her breath, she looked up at him with tear stained eyes and giggled.

"Gomennasai. But you look so funny with dirt and leaves in your hair."

"Humph," was all he said. Kagura walked up to him and started to brush the leaves out of his hair. She could feel Sesshomaru's hot breath on her neck as she stood on tiptoe and it sent shivers down her spine. She still could not believe this was really happening; she was really was alone with Sesshomaru. Kagura was even showing him her secret spot. Even Kanna didn't know about this place and here she was, revealing it only to the man she had had a crush on since she had laid eyes on him. Usually Kagura did not open up to people so easily, but some how, Sesshomaru was...well...he was Sesshomaru. That in itself was enough.

Kagura had gotten all the leaves out of his hair and was about to wipe the remaining dirt off when he reached up and grabbed her wrist. She jumped in surprise and she started to fall backwards. Then Sesshomaru's strong arm wrapped itself around Kagura's waist and steadied her. Kagura looked up at him and was about to ask him why he had stopped her. But as soon as their eyes met her words got caught in her throat. Sesshomaru's golden orbs stared back into her ruby ones and for a moment time was still. Then Sesshomaru closed his eyes and shook his head.

"You really need to be more careful," he said, his voice just above a whisper, "I don't think you would have liked to walk around in wet clothes." Kagura's eyes narrowed.

"Well, you shouldn't have grabbed me!" She snapped, "Then I wouldn't have—" Sesshomaru cut her off by pressing his lips against hers. Kagura was so alarmed that she almost pulled away. The kiss was so tender that she almost cried; he didn't force her to do anything, just held her. His kiss was soft and gentle and as soon as she got over her shock she returned it. Kagura melted into him and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. She went up on tiptoe again and deepened the kiss.

Sesshomaru growled in the back of his throat and opened his mouth to run his tongue along her lower lip. Kagura parted her lips willingly and Sesshomaru's tongue slipped into her mouth. Kagura almost groaned and pulled him closer. He tasted like nothing she could have ever imagined and she wanted more. She ran her fingers through his hair as their tongues battled it out inside. Then Kagura needed air. She pulled back, but was barely able to get a breath in before Sesshomaru's mouth crushed hers again.

This time, Kagura was able to get the upper hand and she ran her tongue along Sesshomaru's teeth. She hummed into his mouth and he groaned. Then after what seemed like forever, Sesshomaru broke the kiss but he did not pull away. He lent his head on hers, their foreheads touching. Kagura's face was slightly flushed and she could feel her heart banging against her ribcage. Sesshomaru looked at her and chuckled.

"You need to stop losing your temper."

"Why?" Kagura asked, her anger coming back.

"Because it turns me on." Kagura's eyes widened and she felt heat rise to her cheeks. She lowered her head but Sesshomaru caught her chin and kissed her lightly on the lips. Then he let her go but kept a firm grasp on her hand.

"Come on, you wanted to show me something, remember?" She nodded her head, still stunned at what he had said and allowed herself to be dragged behind him. Kagura looked down at their hands and smiled slightly. Then she squeezed his hand a little and ran passed him.

"Why are you in front if you don't even know where you're going?" Sesshomaru just smirked and shrugged his shoulders. Kagura turned away from him and lead him along the snow covered path. She knew they were not far away but they had to hurry to be there on time. She quickened her pace and soon the path levelled out. Kagura could see the opening in front of them and turned her head back to look at the silver haired man behind her.

"Almost there."

"Good."

They finally reached the edge of the forest and walked out on to the edge of a cliff. Kagura pulled Sesshomaru up beside her and looked at the view before her. This place always took her breath away and she had made it on time. The sun was just setting and the colours were phenomenal.

It was almost as if a rainbow had been stretched out across the sky. Shades of red and pink surround the sun and Kagura could even see a few traces of purple as well. From there the sky turned orange to yellow to green and eventually to the brilliant blue. Kagura tried to make it up here for sunset at least once a week and would just sit and watch the sky turn colours.

She looked over at Sesshomaru and smiled. He was impressed, she could see it in his eyes. Kagura came up here whenever she wanted to think or just be alone. She looked back at the scenery and sighed.

"See? Totally worth it," she said. Kagura felt him tighten his grasp on her hand.

"Hai, it's beautiful." Sesshomaru said. Kagura turned to look at him to find him watching her and she blushed.

"I meant the sunset Sesshomaru," she said and he chuckled.

"Well, yes, that's beautiful too," he said and Kagura blushed even harder. They stood in silence and watch the sun until it completely disappeared beyond the horizon. There were still traces of red where the sun had vanished but it was starting to get dark. Kagura watched as stars began to emerge from the blanket of darkness and shivered. She hoped Sesshomaru wouldn't notice.

"Are you cold?" he asked, and Kagura knew he hadn't missed a thing.

"A little. I guess I should have worn a bigger jacket huh?" she said, laughing slightly. Sesshomaru just shook his head and squeezed her hand.

"Come on. It'll be warmer in the car."

"Do we have to go now? It's just so nice up here."

"If we stay much longer, you'll turn into a popsicle," he said, pulling her towards the path. Kagura let him tow her down the hill even though she really wanted some more time alone with him. She did not regret showing him this place, though. Now it would be a secret between the two of them; something they shared.

By the time they got back to the car, Kagura couldn't feel her hands and her teeth were chattering non-stop. Sesshomaru pushed her into the front seat and as soon as he got in the car he started the engine and turned on the heat full blast. Then he took her hands and put them right in front of the vent. He massaged them slowly, trying to get the heat circulating.

Kagura shivered again but this time it wasn't from the cold. Sesshomaru's fingers were sending electric shocks up her arms and he didn't even know it. Her hands warmed quickly but he didn't let go.

"Next time remember to wear a warmer jacket," he said, "Or I may have to use another method to get you warm if we're no where near a car." Kagura blushed and he released her hands. She was warm and tingly all over from his words.

'Next time. He said next time,' she thought to herself. Kagura wanted to leap for joy but she contained her excitement by clasping her hands together. She looked out the window at the falling snow and smiled. Sesshomaru took the car out of park and started driving back to the city. It took them a little over half an hour to get to her house but Kagura didn't mind. Just being around Sesshomaru, even in silence, was enough for her.

He got out of the car and opened her door for her before she had even undone her seatbelt. He held out his hand and helped her out of the car. They got to the bottom of the walkway and he stopped.

"Arigatou for spending the day with me." Kagura said.

"Well, I invited you didn't I?" Sesshomaru said. Kagura nodded and looked up at her house.

"I should go; I've still got some homework to do. I'll see you tomorrow, ne?" Kagura was about to turn and go up the walkway when she changed her mind. She looked at Sesshomaru and kissed him on the cheek. Blushing, she started towards her house but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"You really need to work on your aim," he said before claiming her lips. He kissed her with a violent hunger and she once again melted into his body. Kagura moaned and rose up to meet the urgency of his kiss. Their tongues moved to an erotic dance and Kagura felt her arms curl themselves around Sesshomaru's neck. He wrapped his own arms around her waist and lifted her up off her feet. Her legs went around his mid section and that bulge was exactly where she wanted it to be.

Kagura unconsciously moved her hips against his and a growl erupted from the back Sesshomaru's throat. He broke the kiss, only to catch his breath and then stick his tongue back in her mouth. Kagura moaned and moved her hips again. He tasted so good; like chocolate but there was something else, something she couldn't place but she knew she liked it. She wanted to devour him whole. He broke the kiss but their faces were barely an inch apart. He slowly set her back down on the ground, but Kagura didn't let go of him.

"I don't want to go," she whispered. Sesshomaru tried to chuckle but it sounded more like a whimper.

"No I think it's best if you went inside right now." She looked deep into his eyes and it felt like she was floating.

"Why?"

"Because if you don't go now, I'm putting you back in my car and taking you back to my place," he said. Kagura shuttered at the thought and smiled. It was not much of a threat, but she backed away slightly.

"Good night Sesshomaru. Thanks again."

"You're welcome Kagura. We should do it again some time." Kagura knew exactly what he had in mind and smiled to herself. She ran up the walkway and turned to wave at him before opening the door and stepping into the dark house.

#-#-#

Kuso – damn it

Gomennasai – very sorry

a/n: how wus dat? Happy I finally updated? Dats wut I thot. Sry dat wusn't anything about kag or inu in dis chap, but da whole next chap will b about dem, dun worry. And who is da silver tiger? Mwahahaha I want guesses! Prolly not who u think it is... or maybe it is. Mwahahahaha. I'll try 2 update soon but I've got exams coming up. Hope u guys liked dis chap and weren't TOO put off by da lemon. It's my first so no harsh bashing okay?

--Sereia


	11. The Chill Of Winter

#bows in front of reviewer# GOMEN GOMEN GOMEN GOMEN!!!!!!!!!! Sry it took so long! I finally finished dis chap lol. And u can't whine cuz its extra long! I hope u guys enjoy it cuz I had fun writin dis chap. Aldoe I think I'll have more fun writing da next 1 mwahahahaha. And thx 4 ur feedback on my lemon! So many ppl liked it and it wus my first #pumps her hand into the air# YEAH! Lol. Guess I'll hafta do sum more den wont i? ENJOY!!!

**Leomae** don't worry, I plan 2 have much lemony goodness in my fic lol. Sry nuthin about fluffy in dis chap but dere will b in da next 1. and I noe about da kikyoU thing, it's just easier 2 have it w/out da 'U' lol.

**sleep**** walking chicken and HAP ** I noe, kagura and fluffy r so kawaii lol. Sry nun pf dem in dis 1, but I think u'll like it just da same!

**Kaye** u guessed dad a silver tiger wus a lot of ppl lol. U'll just hafta wat e 2 find out if ur rite or not lol.

**Firebug29 ** I noe aren't agura and sesshy cute 2gether? Ore fluff of dem next chap dun worry lol.

**ladykaa28 ** sry no Kikyo bashing in dis fic… its coming up doe lol.

**hanyou007 ** omg ur rite. SO many fluffy/kag fics out rite now! Bleh, im sry I'm a pure inu/kag fic peron. Sesshy should b paired up w/ kagura or rin! And if I had an inu and kag plushie I would never b unhappy again rofl. And wen is ur fic coming out? I wanna read!

**Melisssa**** Byrd** I noe how SLOW a 56k modem is lol. Dats y cable is SO much better #grins#

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer: **I don't own shit. Need I say more?

**_Chapter Ten_**

**__**

**_The Chill Of Winter_**

"Ashiteru." Kagome felt herself smile as she ran her fingers through his long, silver hair. She had waited so long to hear him say those words. He held her close and his fingers were tickling her spine. Kagome looked up and her gaze met his. She immediately felt lost in a warm, golden aura and she never wanted to leave.

"Will you always be with me, Inuyasha?" She asked tentatively. Kagome may have loved him ever since she could remember but she was still a little shy about what she was feeling. The silver-haired man smirked and pulled her even closer.

"Of course wench," he said, "Where else would I go?"

'You may be confident about this but I know you still have feelings for Kikyou,' Kagome thought to herself, 'It's too soon for you to be completely over her.' She brushed a strand of hair away from his face and tucked it behind his ear. He was too handsome for words but beautiful at the same time. She still couldn't believe that it was really her in his arms. Inuyasha trailed his fingers down her cheek and held her chin for a moment. Kagome couldn't steal her eyes away from his face.

His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. Kagome could feel his body heat through her clothes and she shuttered. She put her hands on his chest, his heart beating steadily in time with hers. They were linked; no matter what, they would always be linked. Her hands went up to his neck and over his broad shoulders. He was so well built.

'He must work out every day,' Kagome thought to herself, 'Not that I'm complaining.' Kagome smiled as she ran her hands over his arms. She lightly massaged them with her fingers, memorizing every dent in his skin. Her gaze had fallen and she closed her eyes, willing time to stop. Kagome did not want to move; she wanted nothing else than just to stay in his arms forever. That had been her wish ever since she had realised her true feelings for her best friend.

She could not remember when his gaze had not pierced her heart. Even when she had first met him and he was wearing those incredibly cute dog ears, she had been mesmerized by the odd colour of his eyes. His golden orbs would drown a person if they looked long enough and that's exactly what Kagome wanted to do. Every time she looked into his demonic eyes, she felt like she was in paradise, because now they were full of love. Love for her and her only. Never again would Kagome have to endure the pain that made her want to run and hide. The pain that she felt every time her cousin had been the recipient of that look.

Kagome felt tears weld up behind her own azure eyes. She didn't want Inuyasha to see her cry, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. He must of felt the tears through his shirt because his grip on her tightened.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha's voice was full of concern, "What's the matter?" Kagome shook her head, unable to do anything else. She continued to cry into his shirt and suddenly she was bombarded with memories of Hojou and the day Inuyasha had finally saved him from his abusive behaviour. The painful recollection caused her to cry harder. The gleam in Hojou's eyes, as he left the shrine, had sent chills down her spine. Kagome had seen the same look in Kouga when she had beaten him up the week before. The evil glint hadn't been as intimidating this time because he hadn't been a real threat. Kagome knew she could take him and she had.

'Why am I thinking about Hojou?' Kagome wondered. He hadn't entered her mind for over four years; why was he suddenly intruding her thoughts now? Her tears had stopped flowing but her face was still wet. She felt Inuyasha's right hand running up and down her spine, trying to calm her. The other was slowly combing her long raven hair. Then he clasped her chin and brought her head up to meet his gaze. Her vision was a bit blurry from her tears, but Kagome could still see the worry in Inuyasha's golden orbs.

"I'll always be with you," he said, as if reading her thoughts. Kagome let out a choked sob but was cut off by Inuyasha's lips on hers. The kiss was so tender and gentle that Kagome almost burst into tears again. He didn't force anything on her, just barely touching making contact. He had left it up to her to deepen the kiss because he had seen her tears. Kagome's heart swelled and she melted against him. Her arms slipped around his neck and she tried to pull him closer. She could taste her salty tears as they fell onto her lips, tainting the sweetness of Inuyasha's flavour she was looking forward too.

Kagome ran her tongue long his lower lip, willing him to open his mouth. Inuyasha moaned and pushed against her, allowing her the access she wanted. Kagome didn't stick her tongue all the way in; she merely ran it along his teeth, teasing him. Every time he tried to suck her tongue into his mouth, she pulled back. He moaned in protest and Kagome giggled.

"Impatient aren't we?" she giggled, pulling away slightly. Inuyasha growled in the back of his throat.

"Very," he whispered, grabbing her. He attacked her with a savage hunger that turned her on with a passion. The love that she could feel in his embrace suffocated her and gave her life at the same time. There was enough space between them to fill a small cup and still Kagome struggled to get closer. Her hands ran through his thick silver hair and felt his silky locks across her fingers. Kagome loved his hair; he was probably the only boy in school that had hair that went passed his back. He even had longer hair than she did!

Kagome felt Inuyasha's hand run over her hip and down her thigh. The simple caress was all Kagome needed. She returned the kiss with violent hunger that made Inuyasha moan in delight. Their tongues danced and intertwined, battling for domination. Eventually needing air, Inuyasha pulled back. They were both breathing hard and Kagome was sure her face was flushed with colour. She could feel his heart beat rapidly in his chest. Inuyasha brushed a strand of hair off her face and smirked.

"You're so beautiful," he said before kissing her again. His tongue caressed her teeth and Kagome smiled as she tasted him. If anyone had told her twenty four hours ago, that she would be kissing Inuyasha, she never would have believed it. Then again, if anyone had told her she was addicted to honey and spices, she never would have believed that either. Inuyasha was so unique in so many ways, it was a wonder to Kagome how he kept all the women away from him. Every female loved a challenge and that was exactly what Inuyasha was.

Inuyasha pulled on the back of her head and started to trail light kisses down her neck. Kagome's eyes fluttered open and she stared at the ceiling. He got to the junction where her neck met her shoulder and Kagome shivered with pleasure. He bit down, sending electric shocks through her entire body. Kagome felt her knees give out from under her and she slumped against him.

#-#-#

Kagome fell to the floor with a crash, her chair skidding away. She blinked and looked around. The whiteness of the hospital room blinded in the morning light and she struggled to stand. She saw Inuyasha lying in his bed, like he had been for the last three weeks, and she cursed under her breath.

"Fuck, that's the fourth time in the last week and a half." Kagome said, walking over to her chair. She grabbed the back of it and pulled it over to its normal place, beside Inuyasha's bed. She sat down with a sigh and took his hand in hers, holding it tightly. She brought it up against her cheek and looked at his pale face.

"How much longer are you going to do this to me, Inuyasha?" She kissed his hand and put it down on the bed, "You tortured me every day by being with Kikyou and now you're torturing me in my dreams as well." Kagome turned around and looked out the window. The sun had risen enough for it to be passed ten o'clock and Kagome was extremely glad it was Saturday.

'Not that it would really matter anyway,' she thought to herself, 'Kaede-sensei would have understood.' Kagome let go of Inuyasha's hand and stood up. She put her hands over her head and stretched, trying to get rid of the stiffness in every muscle she possessed. Sleeping on a plastic chair every night was starting to get to her but she did not care. Kagome would have slept on a bed of nails in order to be able to wake up to Inuyasha's face every day; even if he was in a coma.

Kagome wished on a different star every night for Inuyasha to wake up but she hadn't found the right one yet. Of course, he hadn't gotten any worse so she couldn't really complain. Every machine he was hooked up to beeped steadily, creating an uneasy feeling in the pit of Kagome's stomach. She hated those things; they constantly reminded her why she was there every day and why she hadn't had a good night's sleep in nearly a month. Kagome was either awakened by Inuyasha's body drenched in blood or the tingle of pleasure of his body against hers. She had already experienced the first image and she desperately wanted the other one to come true.

"You won't think much of my cousin when I'm through with her," she told the sleeping man, "I'm sorry it had to come down to this Inuyasha, but you have the right to know about what she's really like. You deserve better, even if it's not me..." Her gaze lowered to the floor and then to the door as she heard the knob turn.

"Ohaiyo Kagome."

"Ohaiyo Anne." The old woman looked at Kagome sceptically.

"You had another bad dream didn't you?" Kagome felt her face heat up and she looked away.

"I wouldn't call it a bad dream but it woke me up, yes." Anne nodded knowingly and walked over to Inuyasha to check his status.

"Ah, one of those dreams. I'm sure you enjoyed it intensely," she said, accenting the last word. Kagome blushed even more and nodded. She watched as Anne went through her daily routine, inspecting the machines that were hooked up to Inuyasha.

"Anything different?" Kagome asked, hope evident in her voice. Anne looked over at her with a sad smile.

"Every day you ask me the same question and every day I give you the same answer. Gomen Kagome, he's no different than yesterday." Kagome just nodded and sat back down in her chair. She had not expected anything to be different...okay so maybe she had but deep down she had known it was wishful thinking. Inuyasha hadn't even moved the whole time she had been here. A simple twitch would have been enough; he almost looked dead and Kagome needed some reassurance that he was really only in a coma.

"How are you holding up?" Anne asked from across the bed. Kagome shrugged her shoulders.

"Alright I guess." Kagome sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I mean how should I be?"

"Well you're holding up a lot better than most. I've seen some people break down within the first few days."

"I just believe in him more. I know that he's going to be okay." An alarmed look suddenly flashed over Kagome's features, "He is going to be okay right?" Anne sighed and looked over at the silver-haired man.

"All I can say is that he needs to wake up soon."

"What do you mean?!" Kagome said in an extremely shaky voice, "Is something wrong with him?" Kagome could not control the fear in her voice. She would never forgive herself if Inuyasha never came out of his coma. She wanted more than anything to see his smirking face again, to watch him beat up on Miroku or even Kouga for that matter. She just wanted to see him up and about.

"He needs to wake up soon or I may need to admit you." The colour drained from Kagome's face as she processed Anne's words.

"Nani?" The old woman smiled and walked around the bed. She stood in front of Kagome and put her hand on the raven haired girl's forehead.

"Your immune system can't be doing to well with the amount of sleep you've been getting Kagome. You already have a slight fever."

"Kami, you scared me Anne! I thought you were serious." Kagome's breath came out in a relieved sigh; she hadn't even realised she had been holding it.

"I am serious Kagome," Anne said sternly, "You're wearing yourself down. You should go home for a few days and get some proper rest."

"I can't."

"Yes I know." Anne sighed and squeezed her shoulder. "How about I send up some ramen and orange juice." Kagome smiled at the woman. She had been like an unofficial grandmother to Kagome and she appreciated it. She nodded her thanks and Anne walked out of the room. Kagome felt her forehead and sighed.

"I guess I am getting a bit of a fever but it's nothing compared to Inuyasha. You must understand Anne, I need to be here when he wakes up; whenever that is. I need to be the first one he sees, to show him how much I need him." Kagome raised her hand to run it through her hair, but it got caught halfway through.

"Kami! I must look awful!" Kagome got up from her chair, grabbed her overnight bag and marched into the bathroom. She took one look in the mirror and almost swore. Her hair was all over the place and her cloths were wrinkled from sleeping in them. She dumped her bag on the floor, stripped off her clothes and turned on the water. Kagome didn't even wait until it had reached the right temperature; she just stepped into the shower and immediately regretted it.

"Holy shit! That's fucking cold." She quickly reached for the knobs and turned the hot water on full blast. In no time at all, steam was seeping out of the shower and Kagome knew the mirror was going to be fogged up when she got out.

She stood still under the hot water and let it run over her body. Her muscles finally relaxed and Kagome sighed in content. She flattened her hair against her head before turning around and actually getting it wet. Her thick, black locks reached all the way down to the end of her tailbone now and she reached over for her shampoo. After lathering up her hair and piling it on top of her head, she opened her body wash and inhaled its fragrance.

Everyone loved the scent of strawberries she gave off, especially the males. Even though she only wanted the attention of one particular male, Kagome still did not mind the waves and winks she got in the halls at school.

"Except maybe Kouga. That guy needs to have his ego shrunk. I can't believe that he's still after me! I mean how many times have I told him to fuck off?!" Kagome said aloud, 'Not to mention how many times he's been threatened by Inuyasha.' Kagome giggled to herself and squeezed some of her strawberry smelling body wash onto her shower puff.

After she had lathered her entire body, Kagome washed out the shampoo and put in some conditioner. She let it sit in her hair for about five minutes before washing it out, along with the rest of her body. Watching the last bubbles go down the drain, Kagome heard her name being called from inside Inuyasha's room.

"I'll be there in a minute!" she called, stepping out of the shower. She quickly dried herself off and wrapped her long hair up in her towel. She slipped into a faded pair of flared jeans, a black long sleeved shirt and a pale blue vest that went past her knees, then she took her hair out of the towel and ran a brush through it, parting it o one side. Adding a touch of mascara and lip gloss, Kagome hung up her towel, stuffed her old clothes in her bag and opened the door to see Sango and Miroku standing in the middle of the room.

Well, technically only Sango was standing. Miroku was on the floor with a dazed look on his face. Kagome smiled and shook her head.

"Fucking hentai," Sango grumbled. Kagome laughed and gave her friend a hug. She hadn't had much time for Sango since Inuyasha had first been admitted to the hospital but she completely understood. Sango would have done the same thing if it had been Miroku even though she'd never admit it.

"Miroku, can't you ever keep your hands to yourself?" Kagome asked as she helped him off the floor. Miroku held his head with his hand and winced.

"I didn't touch her," he said and Kagome gave him a quizzical look, "I merely wanted to see if you needed any help in the bathroom my dear." Within seconds he was back on the floor, cringing in pain. This time it had been Kagome who had hit him, her face bright red.

"Fucking hentai," she mumbled and Sango laughed.

"See? I'm not the only one, Kagome." Sango said with a grin. Kagome just shrugged and walked over to Inuyasha' bed, putting her bag down by the bedside table. She glanced at him and lent over to caress his cheek. She heard Miroku and Sango walk up next to her and Miroku's hand on her shoulder.

"You need a break from this place Kagome. Inuyasha won't move while you're gone." Miroku said.

"But what if he wakes up? I'd never forgive myself if I left and he woke up. I need to be here." Miroku and Sango looked at each other and then back at Kagome.

"Demo, Kagome, I don't think he will wake up if you're not here. You two are linked. I know you'll be the first person he sees." Sango said in a soothing voice, "Now come on, I wanna take you shopping. Miroku will stay here and look after Inuyasha for you." Kagome turned to her friends.

"Demo—"

"Daijobou. If anything happens, I'll let you know right away, okay?" Miroku squeezed her shoulder before pushing her towards the door with Sango.

"Matte!" Sango rolled her eyes and was about to protest when Kagome cut her off.

"Don't worry Sango. I would love to go shopping with you but I doubt we'd get very far if I didn't have any money." Kagome walked over to her bag and pulled out her purse. Then she returned to Sango and was about to follow her out the door when she turned around.

"Miroku, if one piece of clothing is missing from my bag," Kagome threatened, "You'll be unconscious until next Wednesday." The violet-eyed man smiled guiltily and put his hand back in his lap as he sat down on Kagome's chair. She winked at him and closed the door behind her.

"Why doesn't anyone trust me?"

#-#-#

"Try on this one Kagome!" Kagome looked over at her friend and rolled her eyes. Sango had been 'helping' her find the perfect outfit for the Winter Dance for the last hour and Kagome had rejected every one.

"Sango it's green! You know I hate that colour!" she said, walking over to her friend. Sango held up a short, pleaded green skirt with a matching white blouse. The blouse had the same colour green trimming along the collar and the bottom of the sleeves. It also came with a bright red tie and Kagome almost gagged.

"Come on Sango! You have better taste than that!"

"I just thought it would look cute on you." Kagome rolled her eyes again.

"I'm not going for cute. I'm going for sexy. I'm gonna show Kikyou that she's not the only one that can look good."

"Right...and the fact that Inuyasha is going to be free at the dance does not have anything to do with it." Kagome blushed.

"How do you even know that he's going to be awake at the dance? He may still be in a coma."

"Trust me, if I know Inuyasha, he won't miss the dance. Or you singing." Kagome blushed again. The principle had asked her to sing a few songs at the dance and she had reluctantly agreed. That was another reason she wanted to look good at the dance. Every person in the club would be looking at her and she wasn't about to give Kikyou another reason to make fun of her.

Suddenly, Kagome felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She turned around and found herself looking into a pair of bright green eyes. The woman in front of her had long red hair tied up into two pigtails on the top of her head.

"Excuse me, I couldn't help but over hearing. My name's Ayame." She stuck out her hand and Kagome shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Kagome and this is my friend Sango." Kagome said, indicating her friend as she walked up beside her. Sango waved and Ayame smiled. Then she led them to the back of the store. She went to a wrack with sale items on and pulled out a black leather outfit.

The outfit consisted of tight leather pants that flared out the bottom and a halter top. But it wasn't a normal halter top; it actually looked more like a bikini top that attached in the front. It tied up behind the neck but there was also another tie in the front that crisscrossed across each part which meant Kagome wouldn't be able to wear a bra with it. Ayame held it up and looked mischievously at Sango.

"Kami-sama! Kagome go try it on right now!" Sango squealed. She shoved the outfit into Kagome's arms and pushed her into a near by change room. Kagome looked at the leather in her hands and blushed. Could she actually wear this? She shook her head began to change. She got to the top part and sighed.

'Curse you Sango, there's no way I'm going to get away with wearing a bra with this top.' She took off her bra and slipped on the top, tying it as tight as she could. Kagome looked at herself in the mirror and her eyes widened in shock. No matter what, she couldn't cover her breasts completely and so a little bit showed in the middle of the top. But that wasn't what had Kagome so shocked.

She didn't look sexy.

She looked fucking sexy!

Kagome could not believe how good she looked. The leather accented every single one of her curves, including her flat stomach. Her pale skin contrasted nicely with the darkness of the leather and the ends of the halter were extremely long and dangled down in front of her stomach. Kagome took the ends and wrapped them around her waist and tied them up behind her back, creating two sideways triangles on her stomach. Kagome continued to look at herself in the full length mirror until Sango yelled at her from outside the changing room.

"Kagome! Get your ass out here now! Or I'll come in there and drag you out here myself and I don't care if you're only half dressed!"

"Hai, hai." Kagome opened the door and stepped out into the store. She looked at the two woman and smirked.

"You know, you're going to catch flies if you don't close your mouths." Both Sango's and Ayame's jaws were hanging wide as they stared at her.

"Sugoi...Kagome if you don't buy that out fit, I'm never letting you near the hospital again." Sango said, with Ayame nodding at her side. Kagome laughed and twirled around in order to show them the entire thing.

"Don't worry Sango, I was going to get it anyway." She turned around and headed back to change back into her regular clothes. But before she closed the door she turned to look back at Ayame.

"Arigatou."

#-#-#

Miroku sat in the chair across fro Inuyasha and watched his friend. It was almost like having a staring contest but the loser was the first person to move. Miroku willed Inuyasha to move and give him a sign he was still in this world but the silver-haired man was still as stone. Miroku sighed and looked out the window.

"This is not the time to be sleeping, Inuyasha," he said, "You have no idea how much this is hurting us, knowing you are here day after day; especially Kagome." Miroku had heard from Sango that Kagome hadn't spent a night at home since she had found him behind the school. And judging how she had passed out on the steps at school showed him how much sleep she was getting.

"It's unbelievable how ignorant you are, Inuyasha." Miroku got up and sat on his bed, "I think everyone except you knows what your beloved Kikyou had been up to. Oh, how Kagome is planning to ruin her social life." He said with a grin. Kagome hadn't actually told either of them what her plan was but Miroku and Sango were going to help her in whatever way they could. Kikyou and her friends had ridiculed all of them throughout the years and enough was enough.

"I hope you realise what we're doing for you," Miroku said, still staring out the window, "Kagome knows the most about you, my friend, and you seem to the only person that doesn't know how she feels about you." He turned around and noticed Inuyasha's jacket lying on the end of his bed. He could see a small bulge in the left pocket.

'Well if I can't go through Kagome's things, I may as well go through yours.' Miroku smiled to himself and picked up the jacket. He pulled the object out of the pocket and threw the jacket back on the bed. He looked at the small, velvet box and leant on the bed for support.

"Kami-sama...Inuyasha you wouldn't..." Miroku was in complete shock as he turned the box over in his hand. His hand shook as he opened it, almost dropping it as the object inside sparkled in the midday light. A small ring lay inside. It consisted of a pale pink pearl surrounded by tiny diamonds in the centre and on either side of the jewelled flower, stood a smaller pearl, the same shade as the one in the middle. It took Miroku a full minute to realise just what he was holding in his hand. He shook his head.

"Well if you ask me, this would suit Kagome much better than Kikyou." He turned to the man lying in the hospital bed, "I think you should have just found a nice piece of coal and put it in a ring band. It could symbolize her heart." Miroku pictured Kikyou's reaction when Inuyasha 'popped the question' and laughed. Then he pictured Kagome's reaction and the laughter died in his throat. She would be devastated!

Miroku cringed and closed the box. He picked up the jacket and put the ring back he found it. Then he walked back to the chair and sat down. He knew that he wouldn't be able to keep the secret about the ring and Inuyasha's intentions for long.

'I just hope Kagome's plan happens fast because if this comes out...' His thoughts trailed off as he gazed at his best friend, 'Inuyasha, what were you thinking?' He sat back in the chair and closed his eyes just as Kagome and Sango opened the door.

"Thanks for taking me shopping Sango." Kagome said with a smile as she opened Inuyasha's door, "I really did need a break." She looked around the room and found Miroku sitting in her chair, in the exact same position Sango had torn her away from.

"Addicting isn't it?" she said, putting her new outfit at the end of the bed. Miroku opened his eyes and blinked a few times before answering.

"Huh? Nani?" He stretched and got up from the chair. Kagome smiled at the violet-eyed man.

"The chair," she said, pointing at it.

"Oh...uh...hai." He said. There was something in his voice but Kagome couldn't put her finger on it. It was almost as if he was hiding something.

"You alright Miroku?"

"Hai, fine." Kagome's gaze lingered for a moment before she shrugged and walked over to Inuyasha.

"Anything?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Iie." Kagome nodded and turned back to her friends. They were both looking at her with sympathy in their eyes and Kagome smiled.

"I'm fine, just a little tired. Thanks again for taking me out, Sango. I'll talk to you later okay?" Sango nodded.

"Just get some rest, Kagome," she said gently. Sango suddenly noticed the odd colour of her friend's face, "Your face is a little flushed, are you getting a fever or something?" Kagome shook her hands in front of her face.

"Iie, I'm fine. Like you said, I just need some rest," she said, waving them off. She didn't want to worry her and Miroku anymore than she already had. Sango raised an eyebrow at her friend but said nothing. She gave Kagome a quick hug before grabbing Miroku's arm and heading for the door.

"Ja ne Kagome! Get some rest and I'll talk to you later, okay?" Kagome sent Sango a smile. She really appreciated what her friends were doing for her. She brought her hand to her forehead and winced. It had gotten warmer since that morning when Anne had come to check on her. It had had all day to worsen; Kagome looked out the window at the darkness that shaded the world. She hadn't realized how much time had passed when she was with Sango. She felt a little dizzy but merely brushed it off as lack of sleep.

"Anne must have seen Sango and Miroku come into the hospital." Kagome said aloud as she sat down in her chair. "So she must have realised that I wasn't going to be able to eat that soup she promised me. I could really use it now." She buried her head in her arms and tried to stop the pounding in her temples. Maybe she really was sick; she hadn't been sick for a long time so she had thought it was merely a headache or something.

"This is not the time to be getting sick." Kagome scolded herself. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at the peaceful Inuyasha.

#-#-#

He snuck into the hospital unnoticed.

"Now is not the time to be seen," he muttered to himself, as he climbed the stairs. This was they day. This was they day that bitch was going to get what she deserved. He had waited, watched until her friends had left. Then he knew she would be alone. There would be no one to help her...no one to hear her scream.

_How can you see into my eyes like open doors?_

_Leading you down into my core,_

_Where I've become so numb.___

Kikyou had told him which room she would be in, so he didn't have to search for her. He stood outside her door; all he could hear was his own breathing. Then he heard a murmur from inside and smiled.

'This is your time bitch. This is your time...' He thought to himself. He took his dagger out of its holder and kissed the tiger. With one last look down the hallway, he opened the door and walked into his past.

_Without a soul,_

_My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold;_

_Until you find it there and lead it back home._

Kagome heard the door open behind her and slowly raised her head. She figured it was Anne, bringing her the soup and juice she had promised. A smile tugged at her lips as she turned her head towards the door.

"Thank you for remembering, Anne." Kagome laughed. "I have a headache so if you could—" The laugh died in her throat as she stared at the person in the doorway. Her eyes widened in alarm. Memories came flooding back to her in a whirlwind of pain. The throbbing in her head strengthened and Kagome squeezed her eyes together tightly, trying to focus.

'This can't be real. This can't be real,' she told herself, 'He left...never come back...this can't be real.'

_Wake me up, wake me up inside,_

_Call my name and save me from the dark._

"Konichiwa Higurashi, it has been a while," he sneered, moving towards her. He watched as she clutched her head in pain, as she struggled to her feet, as her hateful gaze wondered over his form.

_Bid my blood to run,_

_Before I come undone.___

_Save me from the nothing I've become._

"Hojou." Kagome spat out his name as if it was venom on her lips. Her blood boiled as he looked at her with the same lustful expression he had always had.

_Now that I know what I'm without_

_You can't just leave me._

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Kagome growled. She held the back of the chair to balance herself. The fever was making it hard for her to focus and she needed all the strength she could get.

"You don't sound please to see me," he smirked, taking a few steps forward. Kagome automatically stepped back.

"No shit."

_Breathe into me and make me real;_

_Bring me to life._

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Hojou stepped forward again and a flash of silver caught Kagome's eye. She glanced down and saw what he was holding in his hand. It was a small dagger and it looked extremely sharp. Kagome swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She had just answered her own question. He was going to kill her...and there was no one around to help her.

_Wake me up inside,_

_Wake me up inside._

_Call my name and save me from the dark._

Kagome took another step back and felt the wall against her back. She had no where else to go and Hojou was mercilessly advancing. Her eyes darted to Inuyasha, willing him to come to her aid. Hojou noticed and he started to laugh. It made Kagome cringe because it wasn't the carefree laughter she remembered. It was a crazed laugh, like one from a horror movie she had seen on TV.

"You still believe he's going to save you?" he mocked. "I knew you were a dreamer, Higurashi, but that's a little bit much." He took his final step and grabbed her. He threw her to the floor and Kagome felt the wind being knocked out of her. She coughed a few times and tried to get to her feet but Hojou was too fast for her. He grabbed her hair and thrust her into the chair she had been sitting in for the last three weeks.

"Bitch!" he yelled, "Do you have any idea what you and your mutt put me through?!" Hojou went to grab for her again but Kagome rolled underneath the bed and spring to her feet on the other side. Dizziness surrounded her but she kept her balance.

_Bid my blood to run,_

_Before I come undone.___

_Save me from the nothing I've become._

"Put you through?!" Kagome raged. "Put _you_ through?! You fucking bastard! You're the one who was beating the shit out of me every day of my life since I started going out with you! You have no fucking right to accuse me of anything, you good for nothing son of a bitch!" She picked up stool that Anne had brought in that day and hurled it at him. Hojou barely dodged it and lunged at her from across the bed.

Kagome's fighting instincts flew into high gear and she punched him in the face. However, the fever had taken a lot of her strength so her punch was not as strong as she would have hoped. Hojou smirked and took hold of her arm, yanking her across the bed and onto her back. Kagome lay there dazed for a moment, trying to register what had happened. Then she felt a searing pain in her left leg and screamed.

Hojou had dug his dagger deep into her thigh. Kagome felt him linger before pulling it out and she screamed again. She rolled onto her side, trying to get away from him but he seized that opportunity to stab her in the upper part of her right arm. Kagome kicked him with her good leg and scrambled away from him as best she could. She could feel her warm blood seep down her leg and she clutched her arm in pain.

_Bring me to life,_

_I've been living a lie...there's nothing inside._

_Bring me to life._

Kagome glared at her ex-boyfriend with all the hate that was present in her soul. He had ruined her life once; he was not going to do it again. Unfortunately, he had the upper hand right now and Kagome's fever was getting worse. Things flashed in and out of focus and she struggled to stand. She could hear Hojou's laugh in the distance and his footsteps as they came nearer. Kagome barely had time to react as the sandy-haired man seized her bad arm and pressed his thumb into her wound. She cried out in pain and slumped to the floor.

She wouldn't be able to go on much longer if she wasn't able to pull herself together. Kagome closed her eyes tightly, willing her mind to focus. Colours swirled around her and her head throbbed. Then everything was black. Kagome opened her eyed and stared up at Hojou. He was standing over her with a smirk on his face. Kagome opened her mouth to speak but was instead kicked across the floor. She landed with a thud again the wall, right underneath the window.

Kagome didn't even try to get up. What was the point? She was just going to get kicked down again. She managed to pull herself onto her knees, her arms wrapped around her bruised body. She couldn't remember the last time she had been in this much physical pain. Sure, Hojou had beaten her up before, but never this bad. Kagome raised her head to look at the sandy-haired man. He was leaning against the end of Inuyasha's bed, staring at her with a smug smile on his face.

_Frozen inside without your touch._

_Without your love, darling,_

_Only you are the life among the dead._

"Enjoying this you worthless bastard?" Kagome spat. Hojou just smirked and raised his knife to his lips. He licked her blood off the silver blade Kagome cringed as he ran his tongue along his upper lip.

"You're disgusting." He started to walk towards her again, an ominous dark figure.

"Sticks and stones, love."

_All of this I, I can't believe I couldn't see. _

_Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me._

Hojou bent down in front of her and Kagome glared at him. She tried to punch him but he easily caught her fist. Kagome cursed her fever; it was getting hard to stay conscious, let alone throw a good punch. Hojou smiled as he forced her hand down. Then he grabbed a chunk of her black hair and pulled her face up to meet his.

"I think you have to be the only girl who has ever fought back," he said with a smirk. Kagome could feel his hot breath on her face and she tried to pull away but he had a firm grip on her hair.

"So sorry to disappoint," she said, sarcasm dripping off her words. Even if he was going to kill her, Kagome was going to go with the last word.

_I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems; _

_Got to open my eyes to everything.___

Unfortunately, she wouldn't be able to have the last word if she couldn't speak. Hojou had grabbed the back of her head and pulled her into a bruising kiss. Kagome was so shocked that she didn't have time to react. His mouth was pushed hard onto hers and his other hand had taken hold of her good arm. She tried to break free but she just didn't have the strength to fight against him.

Hojou's tongue licked her lips and tried to force itself into her but Kagome kept her mouth shut tightly. She was not bout to let this bastard assault her like this. Since he wasn't paying attention to her right arm, Kagome opened her hand wide and dug her nails into his growing erection. Hojou pulled away with a yell and Kagome could see the pain in his face. She smirked at seeing him in pain. Then he slapped her in the face and looked at her with harsh smile.

"Two can play at that game, Higurashi," Hojou hissed. He grabbed her bad arm and squeezed hard. Kagome screamed in pain and Hojou captured her lips again, shoving his tongue into her mouth. It ran along her teeth and Kagome felt like vomiting. His kiss was no where near passionate and the way he was kissing her bruised her lips. Finally Kagome couldn't take it any more and bit down on his tongue as hard as she could.

_Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul,_

_Don't let me die here, you must accept the fall._

_Bring me to life._

"You fucking whore!" Hojou yanked on her hair and banged her head against the wall. "I was trying to give you one more minute of pleasure before I kill you." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Pleasure? Really? Is that what you were doing?" Kagome said innocently, "I thought you were trying to make me throw up." Hojou scowled and slapped her again. Kagome winced at the impact but didn't make a sound. She wasn't going to let Hojou know how much he was hurting her. No matter how hard it was not to cry, Kagome wasn't going to let him see her tears.

She wanted to get up but her body felt extremely heavy. Her whole head throbbed and burned. Kagome clenched her fists to try and focus but it was no use. She stared at Hojou and smirked. She could tell how mad he was; his emotions were clearly written on his face. That was one of the things Kagome never forgot: how easy it was to read Hojou's feelings. She didn't know if he ever tried to hide them; not much point she guessed.

Kagome was about to throw him another insult when Hojou hit her hard in the stomach. Then he took his dagger and sliced it across her face, leaving a thin line of blood across her cheek.

_Wake me up inside,_

_Wake me up inside._

_Call my name and save me from the dark._

Kagome bent over in pain, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't help it. The pain was just too much. She thought she was going to win in the beginning, but her confidence had been beaten into the ground with every blow Hojou had given her.

'This is it.' Kagome thought sadly, closing her eyes. 'This is my time. Gomen mina, I wasn't strong enough.' An image of a man flashed through her mind. He stood tall and regal, his arms open towards her, ready to embrace her. An invisible breeze flowed through his long hair and Kagome felt the pain of longing fill her heart.

_Bid my blood to run,_

_Before I come undone.___

_Save me from the nothing I've become._

"Inuyasha," she whispered. "Help me." Kagome wrapped her arms around herself tightly, trying to give herself reassurance. Suddenly a maniacal laughter shook her out of her reverie.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha?!" Hojou shook with laughter. "You really think he's going to suddenly jump off that bed and save you? I think I may need to hit again, just to knock some sense into you."

"Fuck you."

"Maybe after you're dead." Hojou said, a smile tugging at his lips as he watched a shudder go through the raven-haired woman. He was planning to do it anyway. Fuck, she was probably still a virgin; which would make it even more satisfying on his part. No matter how many times he had tried, Hojou had never managed to coax little innocent Kagome into his bed. She had always found some sort of excuse. Either that or Inuyasha had some how shown up to pull her out of his grasp. Hojou was never able to find out how Inuyasha seemed to know whenever Kagome was in trouble. But it didn't matter now. Kagome was finally going to get what she deserved and there was no way Inuyasha or anyone else could stop him.

"Even if Inuyasha did suddenly come to life," Hojou said walking over to Kagome. "I could beat that prick into the ground any day." Kagome trembled as the words left his lips. Her mind was transported back in time and suddenly she was in her old house again. Inuyasha had said those exact same words when he was comforting her. They had made her smile that day and now Hojou was using them against her.

Kagome searched her brain for what Hojou had said that day; she wanted to say them now and throw everything he had said back in his face. But she couldn't remember; she must have been in too much pain at the time. Kagome felt Hojou's shadow engulf her and she knew he was ready to strike. Her mind was numb as she sat there under the window sill, waiting.

_Bring me to life_

_I've been living a lie… There's nothing inside._

"Care to put a wager on that?"

Kagome's heart stopped.

Her eyes flew open and she stared at the figure behind the sinister-eyed man. More tears welled up in her eyes, but Kagome just let them fall freely down her face. He looked like an angel, his silver hair glowing. Her mouth opened to speak but the words got caught up in her throat.

Sweat poured down Kagome's face. Even though her fever had increased, Kagome suddenly felt cold. She shivered but her eyes never left the angelic form that seemed to light up the room. Hojou had frozen in front of her; Kagome could see the look of fear that had overcome his face. She reached her hand up and clutched the edge of the windowsill, hoisting herself up. Blood rushed to her head as she got to her feet, but she didn't let go of the windowsill. Kagome knew that she would not be able to hold herself up without any help.

'Please tell me this isn't a dream,' she thought to herself. 'Please let this be real.' Kagome tasted her salty tears on her lips and was finally able to moisten her dry throat. She swallowed slowly before letting one word pass her lips.

_Bring me to life._

"Inuyasha."

#-#-#

Matte – wait

Mina - everyone

a/n: #ducks from sharp and heavy objects# lol aren't I evil? Guess u'll just hafta update in order find out wut happens next… cuz unless I reach at LEAST 350 reviews I AIN'T UPDATING!!! Doncha just hate it wen uthors blackmail u? mwahahahahaha. And OMG like almost EVERYONE guessed who da silver tiger wus lol. Bleh I'm no gude at secret identities lol. And da song I put in at da end is 'Bring me to life' by evanescence. I LUV dat song lol. Review please!

--Sereia


	12. Betrayal

konichiwa mina-san! Heres da chap da u guys have bin DYING 4… literally lol. U noe I realized sumthing… backmail don't work if ppl give more den wut u ask 4… cuz I think dat I should use blackmail 4 every chapter cuz I not only reached 350 reviews I less dan a day I got 132 reviews! Mwahahahahaha dat is SO kewl! I'm now over 400 which is fun cuz dats wut I wanted 2 say in da beginning but im like 'nah I'm not gonna get dat many' so I put it down to 350. sooooooo ARIGATOU!!!!

My editor Lark is on my case now 2 get da next chap out really really really soon (which I will so dun worry) cuz she's anxious 2 read it lol. And a lot of u guys thot it was fluffy an not Inuyasha #whimpers# I wouldn't b DAT mean! Come on! Hope u guys enjoy dis chap although 4 all of dose Kikyo and Kouga haters, I think u'll like da next 1 better #hint hint# ENJOY!!!

**sleep**** walking chicken and HAP ** u noe lotsa ppl were planning 2 do dat so I would update rofl.

**ladykaa28 ** hai hai, Kagome got sick but it'll just make things more interesting, ne?

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**Melisssa**** Byrd** aw, thank u #blushes# lol. I'm planning 2 ge da next chap up by da end of da week. Dat ok 4 ur sanity?

**Ryguy5387** yeah, I AM evil ain't I? rofl. & I luv song fics so expect 2 c sum more!

**Blue Vixen ** I noe kag's outfit is so KEWL! Gonna knock inu's brain 4 a loop wen he sees it mwahahaha

**Kaye** #cowers in fear# u wouldn't REALLY do dat would u? rofl ppl seem 2 get so emotional wen dey read my fic which is gude cuz I think da best writing r dose who make dey're readers laugh and cry out loud.

**demented-squrriel** #bows# gomen! I got da lyrics off da internet so I didn't think 2 check dem w/ da actually song!

**Green Bird 2071** I didn't take 2 long did I? will u still give me pocky?

**Geminia** u reviewed so many times rofl. 1ce 4 every chap!

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**lazydoll06** #ducks rotten fruit# HEY!!!! U kep dat up and no more inu fanfics 4 u!

**im**** writing for Chap 11** hai hai dere will b sum angst! I'm not gonna let inu off so easily 4 choosing Kikyo!

**SUGAR03 ** dun worry! I'd never write anything other dan inu/kag. I think Kikyo's a bitch and she should rot in hell!

**Hanyou007 ** ur reviews r HYSTERICAL!!! I seriously couldn't top laughing wen I red ur review, SO funy rofl (literally). Yeah Evanescence is really kewl. Da thing dat gave me da idea 4 putting dat song in2 my fic wus da fact dat my younger sis wus listening 2 da daredevil soundtrack ALL winter holiday! Rofl. And yeah I hope ur comp gets fixed soon cuz I wanna read ur fic!!!

**Jinxx** YAY u red my fic! #jumps up in the air# and I think I made a mistake in da email I sent u. da 'seven warriors' arc thingie is from ep 101 to 121 I think. But w/e... I hope U update soon lol.

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer** I don't fuckin' own Inuyasha. If I did I would b vacationing w/ him on sum far off beach cuz I den I could see him w/out a shirt on!!!

Thanks 2 my editor Lark 4 fixing all my mistakes! #glomps Lark as she tries to run away# hey come back! I've got pocky! Green Bird 2071 gave me sum!!! #Lark returns and steals Sereia's pocky and runs away again# bitch! Come back here with my pocky! #Sereia chases after Lark#

****

**_Chapter Eleven_**

**__**

**_Betrayal_**

"Hojou, you miserable bastard." Inuyasha hissed. Kagome could see the cut on his arm from where the IV tube had been. A thin line of blood trickled down his am and Kagome guessed that he must have ripped it out when he woke up.

"You low down, self-absorbed, good for nothing, ungrateful son of a bitch!" Inuyasha's voice rose, "I gave you a chance to get away with your bloody life and you dare to show your face again?! I won't let you off so easy this time." He got into a fighting stance and Kagome felt a smile tug at her lips. He looked like he hadn't missed a day. Although his clothes only consisted of a white, loosely fitting t-shirt and shorts, he still looked like Inuyasha.

Hojou tossed his dagger into his other hand, as if to mock Inuyasha. He twirled it around and then grabbed Kagome. She struggled to get away but Hojou had a firm grip on her waist. Inuyasha's eyes widened as Kagome felt Hojou push his blade against her neck.

"You come any closer and I'll slit her throat." Hojou warned, "Which I was planning to anyways but I think I'll let her watch you die first." Kagome saw Inuyasha's hands clench.

"You leave her out of this. This fight is between you and me...hobo." Inuyasha said, using his old nickname. Hojou stiffened behind her and pressed the knife harder against her skin. Kagome didn't dare to move, any bit of movement would cause Hojou's blade to pierce her skin. She even had to struggle to stay on her feet for her fever had gotten worse.

Kagome's head pounded and sweat merged with her tears. She longed to run to Inuyasha; to hold him in her arms in order to make sure it was really him. She needed reassurance that he was real and not just another figment of her imagination. Determination built up in her soul and she finally made her decision. She quickly snaked her hand down behind her without her attacker noticing. Then she grabbed a chunk of his stomach and turned it as hard as she could. Hojou let out a yell of pain and let her go. But not before he was able to slash her across the neck with his tiger-tipped dagger.

Ignoring the pain in her neck, Kagome stumbled towards Inuyasha and reached out for him. He took a step forward and she collapsed in his arms. She wrapped her arms around him, clinging for dear life. Kagome never wanted to let him go.

"It's you, it's really you," she sobbed into his hair. Inuyasha's arms snaked around her middle and brought her into a hug.

#-#-#

"Kami-sama, I've missed you," he whispered, still keeping a watchful eye on the sandy-haired man who lay on the ground. He never realised just how much he had longed to see her until he had woken up to a crash. It had taken him a few moments to realise where he was, before turning to see Kagome cowering beneath the solitary window. Hojou had been walking towards her with that bloody knife in his hand and Inuyasha had become flushed with rage.

He had torn the IV tube out of his arm in anger and had been about to take Hojou out from behind when he had heard Kagome's whimper for help. It had tugged at his heart to see her like that because he knew what she could do. Hell, he was the one who had taught her! Then Hojou had gone into how he was going to screw her lifeless body after he was done and Inuyasha had cracked. He had loved the way the other male had stiffened at his words; the way Inuyasha knew he would have never turned around to look him directly in the eye. Hojou would never have done that because Inuyasha knew what he would have seen: death.

Inuyasha squeezed Kagome tighter, unconsciously inhaling her scent. He had always loved her scent; she never used perfume and yet Kagome always left a soft trail of strawberries where ever she went. He ran his fingers through her hair, trying to calm her down. Silent sobs still wracked her body and it tore at Inuyasha's heart. She clung to him with an urgency that he had never felt before. However, it was another question that plagued his thoughts.

'What is she doing here so late?' Inuyasha thought to himself. He looked outside and could see that the sun had set more than an hour ago. She should have been at home, doing homework or something...why was she here, in his hospital room? Inuyasha's thoughts confused him. An emotion deep within his soul surfaced but he couldn't figure out what it was. It was something he had never felt before in his life; something that warmed his entire body. Something Kikyou had never been able to do. Suddenly he heard a noise beyond the crying woman and Inuyasha's senses sprang to life.

Hojou held his stomach as Inuyasha watched him get to his feet. His golden orbs glared at the man. Hojou had a look of pure hatred on his face and Inuyasha knew it was time to finish the fight he had started all those years ago. He released his grip on Kagome and she looked up at him in confusion. Then Inuyasha lifted her chin so her gaze was in line with his. His face held a look of reassurance and he knew that she understood.

"Daijobou," he said, noticing the fear in her sapphire eyes. "I said I would always protect you didn't I?" Kagome's lips turned into a slight smile. Inuyasha brushed a strand of her raven hair out of her face and to Kagome's shock, laid a kiss on her forehead. His lips felt warm and soft and comforting. Then he stood up helping Kagome to her feet. Inuyasha took one look at the enraged Hojou and pulled Kagome behind him.

"Why the hell did you come back?" Inuyasha asked, his voice dripping with venom. He had told Hojou that he would kill him if he ever came near Kagome again and in Inuyasha never broke a promise. Hojou's eye's narrowed as he stared back at the silver-haired man. Then he smirked and brought his knife to eye level. He turned it around a few times before looking back at Inuyasha, his eyes gleaming.

"Unfinished business," he stated. Inuyasha stiffened as he felt Kagome grab onto his shirt from behind. He could tell she was scared.

'Goddamn it!' Inuyasha mentally cursed, 'This was the reason I trained her so much. So she wouldn't have to know this kind of fear. She shouldn't have to go through this again.' Inuyasha took a step forward, but Kagome did not let go of his shirt.

"And what business would that be?" Inuyasha retorted. He knew it was a rhetorical question but he needed Hojou to make the first move. The light-coloured male was looking at his knife again and Inuyasha noticed the animal on the hilt. It was in the shape of a tiger. The tiger looked like it was going to attack; it was poised and its eyes gleamed in the moonlight that shone in through the window. A shiver went down Inuyasha's spine.

'Where have I seen that before?' Inuyasha was puzzled. He new he had seen that dagger before. He wracked his brain, trying to place why he recognised the small knife but his memories failed him. He shook his head and took another step forward, this time causing Kagome's hand to let go of her death grip on his shirt.

"Do I really need to answer that?" Hojou asked innocently. Inuyasha's eyes flashed red and he clenched his fists tightly. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

"No. I just wanted another reason for kicking your ass." Inuyasha sneered and got into a fighting stance.

"A lot has changed since we last met, Inuyasha," Hojou said, mimicking him, "You will find that I will not fall so easily this time." Inuyasha rolled his eyed again.

"You're all talk asshole. I bet you're still afraid to get your hands dirty." Inuyasha could tell Hojou's anger was building with every comment Inuyasha said, which was exactly what he wanted. He needed Hojou to become mad enough so he would make the first move.

"I don't need to get my hands dirty. My skills allow me to kill with such accuracy that I can walk away without a speck of blood on me." Hojou smiled.

"You momma's boy, you're just as cowardly as when I kicked your ass all those years ago." Inuyasha smirked. "You haven't changed; a coward never loses his stripe." Inuyasha watched as Hojou's eyes narrowed. His mouth formed a firm line and Inuyasha could see his muscles tense.

'Gotcha.' Inuyasha thought with a smile. 'You're mine now, you bastard.' Inuyasha let his senses come alive as he got ready to fight. He knew that Hojou had become better, even though he didn't want to believe it. Kagome wouldn't have been beaten so badly if his skill level was still the same. But Inuyasha didn't care; he was going to kill him for attacking Kagome, for abusing her, for coming back...hell Inuyasha was going to kill him for bloody existing!

The two men stood in silence, not breaking their staring contest. Then Hojou charged and Inuyasha was ready. He stood his ground and just before the other boy reached him, Inuyasha sidestepped and stuck out his arm. It took less than two seconds for Hojou to be flipped around and thrown to the floor. He landed flat on his back, choking and gasping for air. Inuyasha was barely able to get a "Feh" before he too landed on the ground. Hojou had swung his legs around and caught him in the back of the knees.

"Told ya." Hojou said, jumping to his feet. He lunged at his enemy but Inuyasha rolled out of the way. He was about to get up but Hojou landed a punch in the face. The silver-haired man's head whipped to the side and everything spun. Inuyasha tried to focus but Hojou kicked him from behind. Inuyasha went sprawling across the floor. He cringed as pain shot up his side.

'He's also got stronger,' Inuyasha thought, 'Fuck, this is going to be harder than I thought.' Inuyasha slowly got to his feet and turned to glare at Hojou. He was running towards him again and Inuyasha went to meet him. As soon as Inuyasha got in range, he spun around and kicked Hojo in the head. Hojou looked as if he was gong to fall but caught his balance at the last minute and sliced Inuyasha across the stomach with hi knife.

Inuyasha heard Kagome gasp as his stomach began to sting. He looked down but thankfully enough, Hojou had only managed to give him a small scrape. A thin line of blood was now visible diagonally along his abdomen and his shirt had a huge rip in it, but it was nothing severe. Inuyasha grabbed the hand that had the knife in it and twisted it around Hojou's back. Hojou yelled out in pain and Inuyasha laughed.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Inuyasha spat out, twisting his arm even harder. Hojou replied by elbowing Inuyasha in the gut. Inuyasha involuntarily let go of the sandy-haired man's arm and took a step back, holding his stomach. Hojou slashed his dagger across Inuyasha's face, cutting into his pale skin. Inuyasha took no notice and instead punched Hojou in the belly. Hojou bent over in pain, coughing. Then Inuyasha elbowed him in the back, sending to the floor. He kicked him in the side, causing Hojou to cough up blood. Small red specks were now present on the white tiles; Hojou wiped his mouth before flying to his feet.

Inuyasha went to punch him again but Hojou had learned from his first mistake. He ducked Inuyasha's fist and plunged him knife into his thigh. Inuyasha cried out in pain and Hojou laughed as he swung his leg around, kicking out Inuyasha's legs from under him. Hojou towered over him, glaring.

"Baka," he said kicking him in the same place he had stabbed him. "Did you really think you could beat me?" Inuyasha attempted to grab the knife from Hojou's grasp but all he succeeded in doing was getting a long cut up his arm. Then Hojou picked him up by the collar of his shirt and threw him against the wall. Inuyasha cringed and closed his eyes in frustration.

'Kuso. I seemed to have a habit of getting into fights,' he thought with a smirk. He opened one eye and saw Kagome in the far corner of the room. Her gaze was locked with his and Inuyasha could see the fear in her eyes. A lump formed in his throat as her sapphire orbs looked into his soul. Her stare squeezed at his heart and Inuyasha felt something well up inside him.

'What is this thing I keep feeling?' Inuyasha asked himself, 'I've never felt like this before, what the hell is going on? Every time I look at her, I want to take her in my arms and never let her go.' Inuyasha was jolted out of his thoughts by Hojou throwing a vase against the wall. It shattered into millions of pieces, the shards flying everywhere. He looked enraged, but Inuyasha just smirked.

"What's the matter, hobo?" Inuyasha scoffed, "Didn't like the colour of the vase? I'll make sure the ones at your funeral are pink, just like you like them. Although I don't think it'll really matter. No one would ever care enough about you to go." Hojou's face contorted and flushed with rage. He stalked up to Inuyasha and hit him in the face. Then he grabbed his hair and brought his gaze up to meet his.

"I fucking tired of your snide comments," Hojou's voice was a deadly whisper. "First I'm going to kill you and then I'll kill your precious girlfriend. You two can be together in hell!" Hojou tossed his dagger up in the air and caught it so his thumb was touching the tiger. Inuyasha's eyes widened as Hojou bent over to pierce his heart.

Then Hojou flew across the room.

Inuyasha looked up in surprise to see Kagome standing in front of him, looking fiercely at Hojou. Her fists were clenched at her sides and Inuyasha could see that she was trembling with anger. Her raven hair hung loosely around her shoulders, a few strands dangling in front of her face.

"Stay the fuck away from him," Kagome said, her cheeks flushed red, "You threatened to kill him once, I won't let you do it again." Inuyasha's heart skipped a beat.

"Ka...gome." Inuyasha managed to get out. She turned to him, a smile tugging at the side of her lips. She reached out her hand and helped him to his feet. He cringed a little, from all the hits Hojou had landed but that wasn't what concerned him. Kagome's face was very red and it wasn't with anger. He could see sweat droplets running down her face and her eyes would go out of focus every now and then.

"Kagome, daijobouka?" Inuyasha asked. He put his hand on her shoulder but she just waved it off.

"Hai, hai," she said, not taking her eyes of Hojou, who was still lying on the floor. "But he isn't." Inuyasha turned to the man and watched him as he shook his head. Then he threw the couple a fierce look.

'If looks could kill,' Inuyasha thought, 'Kagome and I would be a pile of ashes on the floor.' Hojou got to his feet and started towards them.

"You goddamn bitch!" Hojou yelled, his eyes blazing, "You never know when to stop, do you? That was always your problem. You say you're going out with me but then screw every other guy behind my back. You're a slut! That's all you'll ever be: a slut." Hojou was about to grab her when Kagome kneed him in the groin. Hojou let out a squeak and Kagome landed a punch in his face. He flew across the room again, hitting the metal part of Inuyasha's bed.

"You bastard! Will you get a life?" Kagome swayed slightly and Inuyasha moved to catch her but she took a step forward. He knew something was wrong with her but he didn't say anything. Inuyasha knew that Kagome had to deal with Hojou and he didn't want to interfere unless he had too.

"I never fucking cheated on you! Can you get that through your thick skull?! You just assumed that every time I even talked to another guy that I was screwing him! If you had taken one minute out of your self absorbed life, you would have realised how loyal I am to my friends!" Kagome picked up a cup of water that had been on Inuyasha's bed side table and threw it at Hojou. The water soaked his head but Hojou just stared at her.

"How can you say that when every time I turned around you were hanging out that asshole?" Hojou pointed to Inuyasha over Kagome's shoulder and Inuyasha was about to reply when Kagome cut him off.

"Baka! He's my best friend! He means more to me than anyone else in the world, why wouldn't I want to hang out with him?!" Kagome continued to yell at Hojou, with Inuyasha a few paces behind her. The golden-eyed man was shocked at Kagome's words. He had never heard her speak like this before and it made his chest swell.

'That's why she didn't tell me that he was abusing her.' Inuyasha thought grimly, 'That's why she was so distant; she wanted to protect me.' Suddenly Inuyasha saw Hojou move. Kagome had gotten to close and now Hojou had his dagger up against her throat. His other arm was wound tightly around her waist, anchoring her arms to her side.

"You stupid bitch. When will you ever learn to keep your mouth shut?" Hojou then looked at Inuyasha, a menacing glare tinting his blank eyes. Inuyasha took a step towards them but stopped when he saw Kagome wince. Hojou had dug his knife into her neck; a line of blood trailed down the knife and pooled at the hilt.

"Come any closer and I'll slit her throat." Hojou threatened. Inuyasha mentally cursed. How could he have been so stupid? He had just unconsciously let Kagome walk into the arms of the very man who wanted to kill her.

"Hojou, you bastard! Let Kagome go!" Inuyasha said, "Your fight is with me!" Hojou just smirked.

"Aw, poor Inuyasha can't even save his helpless, little girlfriend. You're not so tough, are you dog shit?" Never before had Inuyasha wanted to punch him so bad. His fists were clenched so hard that Inuyasha could feel his nails digging into his palms.

'Kuso...I need to do something! But if I even move Hojou is going to kill Kagome!" Inuyasha's frustration burned through his body. He was about to yell at Hojou when Kagome spoke.

"That was your first mistake Hojou," Her voice was calm and emotionless. For one fleeting moment she reminded Inuyasha of Sesshomaru. Hojou looked at the raven-haired woman with a questioning look on his face. Kagome was staring right at Inuyasha, her gaze never wavering. Inuyasha raised one of his eyebrows and Kagome's mouth turned up into a smile. At first Inuyasha thought he had imagined it, because the next second it was gone. But he knew Kagome; and she was up to something.

"What the fuck are you talking about bitch?" Hojou increased the pressure on his blade and Kagome's flinched. Inuyasha brought up his hand as if to reach to her but her eyes told him not to move.

"You've made a mistake, Hojou," Kagome said, "In thinking that I'm helpless." As soon as the words left her lips, Kagome flung her body upwards, kicking Hojou in the head. Hojou had let go of Kagome in shock and his knife went soaring across the room. Kagome quickly spun around and let Hojou have it. She punched him the face and in the stomach with all of the strength she had left. Then as Hojou slumped over, coughing up more blood, she took hold of his sandy hair and kneed him in the head. Inuyasha watched as Hojou dropped to the floor, unconscious.

He lay on the floor, unmoving except for the small wisps of breath coming from his bloody mouth. Kagome stepped back, her whole body trembling. Then she turned to Inuyasha and smiled. Blood ran down her neck from the cuts Hojou had given her, mixing with her sweat. Kagome's head burned and she struggled to stay on her feet.

"Couldn't let you have all he fun, could I?" she said, laughing a little. She took a step forward and reached out to Inuyasha but the fever was finally taking its toll. The room spun and Kagome felt blackness engulf her. Knowing that the danger was finally over, Kagome let herself slip into unconsciousness. She fell into Inuyasha's arms as he called out in panic.

"Kagome? Kagome?!" Inuyasha caught the lifeless girl as she stumbled forward. He went to touch her cheek in order to wake her and pulled back in alarm. She was burning up! Inuyasha's eye's widened in fear.

"Kami-sama, Kagome. Were you fighting Hojou this whole time along with a fever? Baka..." He picked her up and walked over to the bed. Lying her down carefully, Inuyasha was about to got and get a damp towel when the door to his room opened.

#-#-#

"Kagome, I brought up your soup if you want to—" The old woman stopped dead. It looked as if Kagome and Inuyasha had traded places. The silver-haired man was standing over the raven-haired woman as she lay, unconscious, on the bed.

"Tetsusaiga-san? You're awake?" Anne sputtered. The man nodded before turning his gaze back to Kagome. Anne's eyes followed his as she rushed to the bed side. She had almost reached Kagome when she realised that there was another man lying on the floor. Anne looked at Inuyasha in question.

"Tetsusaiga-san, what in hell's name is going on?" she asked. Inuyasha took a deep breath.

"That man, Hojou, came up here and attacked Kagome. I don't know how long it went on but I woke up to find her trembling against the wall, near the window. Needless to say, Hojou was surprised to see me awake." Inuyasha smirked and looked back at Kagome. "With my help, she eventually beat him but then passed out. I think she has a fever." Anne reached over and touched Kagome's forehead. She recoiled as soon as she made contact, panic wracking her entire body.

"You should call the police, obaa–san. He tried to kill us both. His knife is over there." Inuyasha said, pointing across the room. Anne didn't need a second opinion. She quickly nodded and rushed out of the room. She ran for the elevator and in no time at all, the police had been notified. Anne and Inuyasha watched as the dragged the unconscious Hojou away. They told Inuyasha that both he and Kagome would have to make a statement but he had refused to let them wake Kagome. The police reluctantly told Inuyasha that they would be back later.

"Can't you see how sick she is?" Inuyasha had argued, his fists clamped together at his sides. "She needs her rest. Just leave her alone she'll come to you when she's ready." The police promised to do so as long as Inuyasha promised to bring Kagome down to the station as soon as she was well enough.

"Feh." Inuyasha said. Then he turned his back to them and walked back into the hospital.

"Now to deal with Kagome." Anne said to herself as she silently followed Inuyasha's lead.

#-#-#

Inuyasha stared at Kagome. The old woman, Anne as she had called herself, had brought a bowl of cold water into his room and now a damp cloth rested o Kagome's forehead. An extra bed had also been brought in; it now lay adjacent to his own. The doctors had insisted that he stay for a few days, just so they could check up on him.

"Feh, like I would wanna go home anyways." Inuyasha said aloud. Even if they had let him go, he would have stayed; for Kagome's sake. It had been a little over twelve hours since Hojou's attack and Kagome still hadn't woken up. Her fever had broken, much to Inuyasha's relief but he was still worried.

"You have perfect timing, Kagome," he playfully scolded. "Couldn't you have waited a little before passing out?" Inuyasha looked at her from the edge of his bed; he had persuaded Anne to move Kagome's bed so it was touching his so he could take care of her himself. He leaned over and checked the cloth. It wasn't as cold as it should be so he removed it and soaked it in the basin of cold water. Then he put it back on her head. Suddenly the door opened and Anne walked in, carrying a tray of food.

"Hungry Tetsusaiga-san?" she asked kindly. Inuyasha just shrugged and Anne smiled. She set the tray down on Inuyasha lap and looked up at him but his gaze was on Kagome. Anne smiled secretly.

"She'll be okay, Inuyasha. She just needs some rest."

"Feh, I know." He replied, still looking at Kagome. Anne raised her eyebrow and smiled.

'It seems she has affected you more that you know, Inuyasha. Let's see what you make of it.' Anne thought to herself. She suddenly got a very wicked idea. An idea that would make Inuyasha think long and hard about how much Kagome really cared about him.

Anne walked around the two beds and fiddled with Kagome's bed. She pretended to fix her sheets and then went to check on Kagome's cloth. She looked up and noticed that Inuyasha's eyes had still not left the sleeping girl. Anne smile and spoke.

"Your girlfriend must really care about you, Inuyasha. She's been here every single day since you got here." Her words jolted him out of his thoughts. He stared at the old woman in surprise.

"Nani?" Inuyasha asked. Kikyou had come to see him every day?

"Hai, it's no wonder she has a fever. She's hardly been getting any sleep. I guess she worries about you too much." Inuyasha was confused. Kikyou didn't have a fever... He suddenly realised who Anne was talking about and shook his head.

"Iie, Kagome's not my girlfriend." Anne looked stunned.

"Hontou? I'm surprised. From the way she's been sitting by your side every single day... Why she's scarcely left this place! She only leaves to go to school. I'm amazed her family hasn't said anything about her staying the night." Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat. Kagome had been by his side the entire time. The entire time. He turned his head and stared at the woman lying next to him. He imagined her sitting next to the bed, talking to him...singing.

'It was her,' Inuyasha thought in astonishment, 'It was really Kagome singing to me. Her voice reached me.' Inuyasha reached over and stroked her cheek. Her skin was so smooth against his. Her face was abnormally pale because of her being sick but that just made her dark, ebony hair stand out more. Inuyasha continued to caress her cheek as he silently thanked her for standing by him. Then he suddenly realised what he was doing and pulled back his hand. He looked back at the old woman to find her smiling. Inuyasha blushed and avoided her gaze.

"So...if Kagome is not your girlfriend, who is?" Anne innocently asked. She knew she had caught him, but she wanted to back him into the corner even more. She watched as Inuyasha shook his head and looked out the window.

"Ah...her name is Kikyou," he answered, "She kind of looks like Kagome but her skin is paler and her hair is longer. She also wears more makeup than Kagome." Inuyasha found his eyes wondering back to Kagome and he realised how much more he liked her natural face to Kikyou's made up one. Kagome hardly ever wore any makeup; not that she needed it. Inuyasha could not think of a time that he had seen Kikyou without any makeup on. Inuyasha secretly wished Kikyou would go a day without putting anything on her face. He much preferred woman who were confident enough to go out with hardly any makeup on at all.

He had even asked Kikyou to do that once but her response had been "Don't you want me to look pretty for you, Inuyasha?" He had never bothered with the question again. Inuyasha finally looked up at Anne, waiting for her comment. She seemed deep in thought, her index finger up against her chin. Then she shook her head and spoke.

"I've never seen a girl of that description in here." Anne answered. It wasn't exactly a lie. She had seen Kikyou get into the elevator that one time, obviously coming to see Inuyasha but she hadn't been in the room at the same time. "The only other visitors, besides Kagome of course, that I've seen in here are a woman with long brown hair and a man with short hair that he tied into a small ponytail at the back."

"Sango and Miroku?" Inuyasha asked.

"Hai, that's what Kagome said." Anne walked up to the sleeping girl and changed her cloth. "Poor girl, she's been so worried about you. I've often found her asleep in her chair, holding your hand without any blanket on. That's probably why she got sick." Anne smiled as she patted Kagome on the head. Then she told Inuyasha to buzz her if he needed anything and walked out of the room.

"She means more to you than you think, my boy."

#-#-#

"Kikyou never came to see me?" Inuyasha wondered out loud. He had figured that Anne would have been to busy with other patients to notice anyone new; but then he had remembered her telling him that she had been the one in charge of his room. Plus she worked at front desk sometimes so she would have known if anyone had asked to see him.

"Why didn't she ever come and see me? Did something happen to her that prevented her from coming? Or was I just an inconvenience?" Inuyasha's blood boiled at his last thought and his eyes opened wide. This was the first time that he had ever been mad at Kikyou. He tried to push the feeling of contempt away but it bothered him that in the four weeks he had been here, Kikyou hadn't come to see him at all.

/And Kagome's been here everyday./

'Oh great, my inner voice, come to haunt me.'

/I'm just proving a point. Kagome seems to care more about you and yet you're still dating her cousin./

'What do you mean still?'

/You're so ignorant./

'Feh.'

Inuyasha sighed. He hated having arguments with his inner voice because his inner voice was either always right or always confusing. This time it was confusing. He shook his head in frustration. Then he looked back at Kagome and sighed. Something was happening to him. He felt...he didn't know what he felt. But it was new and mystifying and...and...it only happened when Kagome was around.

'I need to call Kikyou.' Inuyasha thought to himself. He reached for his back pocket and then suddenly realised that one: he was wearing shorts and two: they didn't have any pockets anyway. He looked over at the bathroom and saw his clothes hanging on a chair inside. Inuyasha sighed in frustration and was about to get up when someone opened the door. Anne entered but didn't come up to him like she usually did. She looked at Inuyasha for a moment and then she spoke.

"Inuyasha, there are some people here to see you." Anne stated, looking kind of awkward. "Do you mind having a couple visitors?" Inuyasha lay back in his bed and shrugged his shoulders. He didn't really want to talk to anyone right now but if it was Miroku and Sango, he wanted to ask them some questions.

"I guess," he said, making himself comfortable. Anne nodded and motioned for the people to come in. Inuyasha, expecting his two friends, smirked.

"You must have heard I was awake. Wow good news really travels fast—" Inuyasha's voice got caught in his throat as he stared at the person that had just walked into the room.

"I heard that you were awake, brother, although I don't know if it was good news." Sesshomaru said. Inuyasha's eyes automatically narrowed, his golden orbs glaring at the silver-haired man who was now standing in the middle of the room. He watched as his half brother inspected his room, his eyes finally landing on Kagome. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow.

"You seemed to have switched places." Inuyasha scowled.

"She has a fever," he said, growling. He was in no mood for Sesshomaru's sarcasm. "She was also attacked by her ex-boyfriend, Hojou, if you wanna know the whole story." Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, not taking his eyes off his half brother. But as soon as Hojou's name had passed Inuyasha's lips, he saw something flash across Sesshomaru's eyes. It almost looked like anger but Inuyasha wasn't certain because the next second it was gone.

Sesshomaru walked over to Kagome. Inuyasha was about to protest his actions when Sesshomaru patted her legs twice. Inuyasha stared in wonder as his half brother continued to look at the sleeping woman.

'That's what my mother used to do to me when I was sick.' Inuyasha thought to himself. 'It's supposed to be some sort of charm...' Inuyasha's golden orbs went back to Sesshomaru. His face was still expressionless but there was something in his eyes... Suddenly Inuyasha heard a noise from the doorway and turned to see a woman with dark hair and ruby eyes enter his room.

The woman's hair was tied up in an elegant twist, secured by a white clip. The hairpiece was made up of two feathers and a string of pearls encircling it. Her crimson eyes were wary but held a look of confidence as well. She was dressed in a simple lavender blouse and white jean skirt that stopped just above her knees. The skirt showed off her long, tanned legs and on her feet were a pair of white ankle boots. It took Inuyasha a minute to comprehend who it was and when her face finally registered in his brain his eyes widened in shock.

"K-Kagura?" he stuttered. What the hell was she doing here? Inuyasha knew her from school because she hung out with Kikyou. It had been kind of surprising when he had first met her because she didn't seem to be the type that would hang out in Kikyou's crowd. Kagura was more reserved than the others and if Inuyasha was right, went to all of her classes. However, Kikyou had obviously seen something in her that was _popular_ material and included her in all of her little 'outings' that Inuyasha knew about. But there was still a question on his mind: what the hell what she doing here?

Kagura met Inuyasha's eyes and her lips lifted up into a half smile.

"Hey Inuyasha. Feeling better?" Inuyasha nodded numbly. Then her eyes drifted over to Kagome. They reflected confusion and Inuyasha was about to explain when Sesshomaru spoke.

"She should be fine in a day or so, Kagura. She just needs some rest." Kagura nodded as Sesshomaru walked towards her.

"Hontouni?"

"Hai." Her eyes were fixated on him and suddenly everything clicked into place.

"Been busy while I was sleeping, ne fluffy?" Inuyasha smirked. Sesshomaru was never going to hear the end of this. He wasn't the easiest person to open up to and he never let his guard down. But the look in his mature, golden eyes as he gazed at the ruby-eyed woman gave away all of his emotions. Sesshomaru froze in the middle of the room and slowly turned around to meet his half brother's knowing gaze. His eyes narrowed and he gave Inuyasha a warning look.

"Inuyasha you just got out of a coma," he stated, calmly, "Don't make me put you into another one." Inuyasha smirked again and put his hands up behind his head. Kagura giggled but it turned into a cough as soon as Sesshomaru looked at her. She quickly composed herself and winked at Inuyasha when Sesshomaru wasn't looking.

"Get better soon Inuyasha, and tell Kagome the same when she wakes up." Inuyasha nodded at Kagura's comment. Suddenly remembering what he was going to do before Anne had interrupted him with his half brother's introduction, Inuyasha sat up.

"Oi Kagura?"

"Hai?"

"Have you talked to Kikyou lately?" he questioned. "The nurse said she hadn't seen her around here at all. Has she been really busy or something?" Kagura broke eye contact, suddenly finding her silver bracelet, that she wore on her left wrist, very interesting.

#-#-#

Kagura fidgeted wit her bracelet, trying to avoid Inuyasha's question. She desperately tried to think of an answer that wouldn't cause him to go berserk.

'What am I supposed to say?' she wondered, 'Hai, she's been busy. Too busy to come and see you because she's been screwing some teacher. And oh yeah! Kagome threatened to decapitate her if she ever showed her face in this hospital again.' She could feel two pairs of golden orbs on her. 'Not that I blame Kagome. I wouldn't mind getting in on the Kikyou ass-kicking action too.'

"Kagura?" Inuyasha prompted. She looked up at Sesshomaru and he shook his head. He knew what a slut Kikyou was, because she had hit on him as well...when she was already dating Inuyasha! Talk about wanting to keep it in the family. But Kagura could see it in his eyes that he wanted Inuyasha to find out on his own. So she turned to Inuyasha and shrugged her shoulders.

"I haven't talked to her in a while, Inuyasha," she lied, "I've been occupied with..."—her eyes darted to Sesshomaru for half a second—"...other things." She saw Inuyasha raise an eyebrow and she blushed. Then she felt Sesshomaru's arm around her waist and he was leading her towards the door. She cast one last look at Inuyasha and sighed.

'Oh, Inuyasha,' she thought silently, 'The one who cares for you is not Kikyou. It's the one who's lying next to you.'

#-#-#

Kagura seemed uneasy about something. As soon as he had asked about Kikyou she had avoided his gaze. Then again maybe he had been hit harder than he thought. It had looked like Kagura had had to think about her answer but then again maybe her thoughts were just fixated on Sesshomaru. Inuyasha laughed out loud. So his half brother had a girlfriend.

"This will be interesting," the silver-haired man said to himself. He couldn't wait to torment Sesshomaru about his new 'relationship' with Kagura. His eyes drifted over to Kagome and he sighed. He wanted her to wake up. More than anything else in the world right now he wanted her to wake up. He reached over and took off her cloth to feel her forehead. His lips turned up into a slight smile when he realised that her fever was almost gone.

He took the cloth and dumped it in the basin of cold water Anne had left on his bedside table. Then he turned back to Kagome and stroked her cheek, as if the gentle caress would wake her up. But the raven-haired woman was in a deep sleep and even Inuyasha's tender actions would not wake her up. Inuyasha sighed and slid out of his bed. He wanted to take a shower, mainly because of the fact that he had been lying in the same bed for over a month. He walked into the bathroom and closed he door silently. He was about to remove his hospital garments when he saw his regular clothes draped over the back of a chair.

"Oh yeah, I was going to call Kikyou," Inuyasha said out loud, reaching for his phone. "Maybe she'll tell me why she didn't come and visit me while I was in a coma." The last words were mixed with a growl as Inuyasha punched in Kikyou's cell number. It rang three times before Inuyasha herd the click of someone picking up.

"Moshi moshi? Kikyou is that you?"

"Iie, hold on a sec," a deep, masculine voice sounded at the other end of the phone and Inuyasha was taken aback.

'What the fuck?' he thought, 'Why the hell is some guy answering Kikyou's cell phone? She never lets anyone touch it but her.' Inuyasha heard the man's far off voice as he called for Kikyou.

"Who is it?" Inuyasha heard her answer. She sounded as close as the man. As if she was right beside the phone.

"I don't know, some guy," the man replied. The next thing Inuyasha heard was a groan, but not one of annoyance. Kikyou's breath was a little faster than normal and he heard her moan again.

"Well tell him to call back," she said, her voice strained, "Tell him I'm busy doing something." Inuyasha heard the man chuckle.

"Namely me," his voice suddenly got louder a he talked back into the phone. "Gomen, she's busy doing something," Kikyou giggled. "Can you call back later?" Inuyasha didn't even acknowledge the man. He just hung up and stared numbly at his reflection. Kikyou was cheating on him.

'That's why Kagura was so awkward just now,' Inuyasha was in complete shock. His cell phone fell to the floor as he continued to stare at his reflection. It took a while before his brain to register what had just happened but as soon as it did, Inuyasha's entire body was consumed with rage.

"That goddamn cheating bitch!" he ground out. "Guess she figured it wouldn't count as cheating if I was unconscious." He shook with anger. Inuyasha clenched his fists together so hard that his knuckled turned white.

"That bitch..." he growled. His mind was a blur and he needed to hit something. He pounded the bathroom counter, trying to get rid of some of his emotional pain. It did not help so he did it again. Hot tears sprung to his eyes but he refused to let them fall. He was not going to let even his reflection see how much the whore had hurt him. Inuyasha closed his eyes as he shook with fury.

"Fucking hell," he cursed. Inuyasha just stood there for a few minutes, trying to stop the throbbing in his head. Finally, when the pounding had stopped, he opened his eyes. He looked at his reflection; his eyes were bloodshot.

"I think I'll take a cold shower instead," he whispered to himself. He removed his garments and turned on the cold water full blast. Then he stepped inside and let the water numb his body, mind and soul.

'I will not forgive you for this Kikyou... You are going to fucking pay for betraying me.'

#-#-#

Obaa–san - grandma

**Editor's Note**

Don't worry! I'm doing my best to get **Sereia** to write the next chapter really fast, so hopefully we will see it in less than a week!

A/N : hai hai I'm planning 2 get da next chap put by end of da week since u guys r all so eager #smiles# but remember! Lots of reviews make authors happy and happiness mean updating quicker. RITE?! Review, onegai! Or I'll make Inuyasha 4give Kikyo and ask her 2 marry him! #starts to gag# oooooooooookay maybe not...

--Sereia


	13. Confrontation

konichiwa mina-san! Wel I hafta say I'm kinda disappointed... I mean going from almost 150 reviews 2 less den 50 is kinda degrading dontcha think? Maybe I should 4get about dis fic...ppl don't seem 2 b reading it any more...rofl j/k j/k wel I'll just hafta blackmail u again wont I? mwahahahahaha. And u cant complain cuz dis is my longest chap yet and ur getting a lot. 2 dose Kikyo's haters I'm sry but ur not getting ur perfect scen in dis fic. U'll just haft reviews lots until I feel compelled 2 update da next 1. wel I hope u guys like dis chap and u can read about my blackmailing at da end lol. ENJOY!!!

**ladykaa28** don't worry I would b DAT mean lol. And if u review ots (or tel other ppl 2) den I'll get da next chapter out faster and u'll get da fight u've been waiting 4...#wink#

**Suzuko** it wus an empty threat lol, I am and always will b a inu/kag fan!

**Melissa Byrd** rofl rat poisin, dats a gude 1!

**Im**** the "You dont know how good u have it until it's gone" person** u should make up a name 4 urself so ur names ain't so long lol. Neways I'm actually not gonna have Kagome ask inu out at all mwahahahahaha. He's gonna do dat but it ont b 4 a while cuz yeah, da Kikyo thing is gonna b a big blow rite? But dere'll lotsa fluff 2 keep u occupied rofl.

**Stone Dragon, Ruby** more fluff u ask? Wel I'm sry 2 say dat u may b over whelmed w/ da amount of fluff u get in dis chap. Hope dats ok #grins#

**inu-kag4ever** GOMEN!!! I can't kill her, I have 2 many plans 4 her...#cackles#

**ish** I think u may need more den a fire extinguisher 4 dis chap… lol and yes inu did pop up but he can't go 2 kag just yet. Aldoe dere lotsa satisfying fluff in dis chap, lol.

**Kim** I don't think inu's gonna do much of a revenge on Kikyo… not until da sequel anyway. But kag's got her ULTIMATE PLAN, remember? Mwahahahahah

**lazydoll06** #cowers in fear# it was an empty threat, I PROMISE!!! Please don't involve da innocent tomatoes! I am a true inu/kag fan so dun worry. And deres lotsa gude stuff in dis LONGEST CHAP EVER so I hope it'll b satisfying! I'm rereading ur 'diff b/w heaven and hell' fic cuz u updated and I 4get wut happened and its 1 o my favs so expect a review from me soon!

**Bloody Paper Doll** cum sucking gutter slut… dats RICH! I may hafta use dat in a future fic rofl. So gude!

**Kaye** if u like Kagura and Sesshy, I think u'll LUV is fic…

**Faerieprincess** I dun think it'll get as far as dat rofl. And ur in luck, dis chap has a STRONG lemony scent #wink#

**Green Bird 2071** I'm sry I mislead u but I didn't want my reviewrs 2 miss out cuz sum1 emailed me and sed it didn't work da 1st time.

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

****

**_WARNING_** u noe wuts good? Lemon meringue pie. U noe wuts even better? Fanfic lemons! Rofl yes dis fic is very lemony so careful about who's around u when u read it rofl. ENJOY!!!

**Disclaimer** didn't I say dis last time? I don't own Inuyasha bcuz if I did Kagome would b banging down my door...#door gets knocked down# uh oh... #runs away from angry Kagome, who chases her with water balloons#

Kagome: Give me back Inuyasha!

Sereia: I don't have him, I swear! #muffled sound comes from closet#

Kagome: Give him BAAAAAAAAAAACK! #starts running faster#

Sereia: Where the hell is my editor?! #sees Lark sitting in corner eating pocky#

Lark: Gomen, but I don't wanna get my pocky wet.

Sereia: #gets pelted with water balloons# HELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

**_Chapter Twelve_**

**__**

**_Confrontation_**

Kagome slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times and then looked around.

'Where am I?' She gazed around the room and realised she was Inuyasha's hospital room. She sat up quickly and immediately regretted it. The room spun and she fell back against her pillow. Kagome put her hand on her head and sighed.

"Guess I still have a bit of a fever." She sat up again but much slower this time. Then she looked out the window and gasped.

"How long have I been unconscious?" Kagome asked herself. The sun shone brightly outside; it must have been at least eleven o'clock. She pulled back the covers and got out of the bed. She walked towards the window and looked outside. The sun reflected off the remaining snow, momentarily blinding the raven-haired woman. Most of the snow had melted and the left over amount had iced over.

"I'll have to be careful when I leave," Kagome said quietly. She raised her hand again and held her head. It throbbed a little but not as much as before. She turned around and started back towards her bed. Wait. _Her_ bed? Kagome looked up and suddenly realised that there were two beds now. They were positioned right beside each other, giving the impression that it was just one huge bed. She stared at them in wonder.

"What happened?" Kagome asked aloud, "The last thing I remember is Hojou lying on the floor and Inuyasha..." Her voice died. She looked frantically around the room but the silver-haired man was no where to be seen. Her legs went out from under and she stumbled to the bed for support. Inuyasha. He was awake. He was going to be alright. Her hand flew to her mouth and tears started to form in her eyes as she sat down.

"He's going to be okay," she managed to choke out. She wiped her unshed tears from her sapphire orbs and took a deep breath. She was not going to cry. There was no reason to cry, he as going to be okay. Kagome sat there for a few minutes and took deep breaths in order to calm herself down. Her hands grasped the edge of the bed. Her breath gradually slowed but her grip on the white sheets didn't lessen. A question still lingered in her mind.

'I must have passed out,' Kagome concluded, 'Hojou was unconscious on the floor and Inuyasha was calling me. But what happened after that?' She silently got up from the bed and walked in the direction of the door. Maybe Anne would know something. And hopefully she would be able to find Inuyasha. She hoped he hadn't gone back his room at the school. She was just about to reach for the handle when she heard a noise behind her. Kagome spun around and watched as an amber-eyed man stepped out of the bathroom.

Inuyasha's long silver hair was damp so Kagome guessed that he must have just come out of a shower. He wore a clean pair of jeans and a small towel hung around his bare shoulders. Kagome sucked in a breath as she stared at him. His gaze floated to the bed she had been lying in and his golden orbs widened. He took a step forward and Kagome realised that she was holding her breath. She let it out in a whoosh and Inuyasha stopped in his tracks. His head turned towards her and their eyes locked.

Kagome got lost in his golden gaze and tears formed in her own once again. They stood in silence for what seemed like hours until Kagome noticed something wrong with his eyes. She could see some unreadable emotion deep within his golden orbs. Something was wrong. She was about to question it when his face scrunched up and he spoke.

"Kagome what are you doing up?" he asked. A tint of amusement was in his voice and the pained emotion was gone. "You still have a fever and should be in bed." He shifted his weight onto one leg and his hands grabbed the ends of the towel that still hung around his neck. That cocky bastard. Kagome let out a strangled sob and burst into tears. Her legs finally allowed her to move and she ran across the room and into Inuyasha's arms.

He staggered back a bit from the force of her hug but as soon as he found his footing his arms went around Kagome's slim waist. She sobbed into his chest, her tears mingling with his soapy scent.

"Yogatta." Kagome whispered, "Daijobouka?"

"Gomen, Kagome. I didn't mean to worry you." Kagome looked up at Inuyasha. He returned her gaze with a smile.

"Hontou? You're really okay?" She asked just to make sure. Inuyasha nodded.

"Ah." Kagome closed her eyes again and leant against his bare chest as his grip around her tightened. Tears till flowed from her eyes but they were tears of joy. She felt incredibly content and safe in his arms. She inhaled his earthy scent and cried harder, realising just how much she had missed him. She held him tighter and buried her face in his chest. She never wanted to let go. She was too afraid that he would suddenly disappear.

#-#-#

They stood there, completely content in each other's embrace. Inuyasha unconsciously bent down and buried his face in Kagome's raven hair, inhaling her scent.

'Why does she always smell like strawberries?' The smell was soothing and Inuyasha felt at ease. She sniffled again and Inuyasha chuckled, pulling away.

"With all this crying, I'd think you were unhappy to see me." Amusement filled his eyes. Kagome let out a choked laugh.

"Mou, Inuyasha," she whined, "You insensitive jerk." She hugged him again before stepping out of his embrace. Inuyasha immediately wished she hadn't. The loss of heat shocked him and he had to restrain himself from pulling her back into his arms.

"You had me so worried, you know." Kagome scolded. Inuyasha's hand went up to her face instinctively and stroked her cheek.

"Hai, hai. Anne told me about how you refused to leave this room except for school." Kagome blushed so hard that Inuyasha laughed again. "Don't worry about it Kagome. Knowing that you were really here and that I wasn't imagining you makes me feel better." Kagome gave him a puzzled look but he didn't say anything more. Then he stepped back and seemed to look her over. It made Kagome feel very self-conscious and she folded her arms over her chest.

"Nani?" Inuyasha's eyes went up and down her body and Kagome shivered.

"Nothing, I just wanted to see if you had any bruises," he stated.

"Oh... Well other than the one on my face and the bandages on my arm, I don't think anything is visible." Inuyasha frowned.

"And what about the ones that I can't see?" Kagome looked down and fiddled with her hands.

"...I have stitches in my thigh and a few bruises on my legs. But that's about it."

"Feh." Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Guess you got a little payback than huh?"

"What do you mean? What happened?" Kagome pulled on Inuyasha's hair. He chuckled and grabbed her hand.

"The police dragged his unconscious ass out of here after you threw him into the bed." Inuyasha said, "I guess I have to give myself credit." Kagome yanked her hand out of Inuyasha's grip and took a step back.

"Nani?!" she yelled, "Why would you get credit? I was the one who knocked him out!" Kagome was fuming. Inuyasha may have saved her in the beginning but she was the one who won the fight in the end. Hojou may have started it but she was the one to finish it. Meanwhile Inuyasha was laughing his head off and it was making Kagome angrier by the minute.

"You're so cute when you're angry." Inuyasha said, replacing Kagome's anger with embarrassment. Had he really said that? Kagome flushed and her eyes went to the floor. She tried to find something to say but the words just would not come out of her mouth.

"I didn't mean credit for the fight Kagome," he said, still laughing, "I meant credit for training you. I mean come on, you wouldn't have done so well if I hadn't." Amusement shone in his eyes and Kagome smacked him on the arm.

"I still could have beaten him," she said, pouting. Inuyasha's face hardened and he reached for her hand again. Kagome was a little shocked but still allowed him to clasp her hand in his.

"No you couldn't have, Kagome," he said, his voice had gone quiet, his eyes boring into hers. "I'm trying not to think of what may have happened if you hadn't been prepared. You almost died, don't you realise that?"

"Oh come on, Inuyasha! It wasn't that serious. Hojou just needed a few hits in the head before he—" Kagome stopped mid sentence as Inuyasha pulled her into a hug. His arms wrapped around her entire body, her arms stuck at her sides. Her head now rested on Inuyasha's shoulder and she stared at the wall in shock.

"Inu...yasha?"

"I was scared." Kagome's eyes widened as she listened to Inuyasha's soft voice. She stood still and realised that he was shaking. He was the toughest person she new. He probably had seen his share of gruesome fights but last night he had been scared; scared for her. It tugged a Kagome's heart and she had to struggle to stay on her feet.

"The first thing I saw when I woke up was you on the floor, covered in blood," he said, squeezing her tighter. "I was scared because I hadn't been there to protect you ad I'm never going to let that happen again." Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes and she lay her head down on his shoulder.

"Daibojou Inuyasha. We took care of it." Kagome leaned back so she was face to face with her best friend. "We've always made a great team ne?" Inuyasha smiled and put his head forward so their foreheads were touching.

"Hai." They stared into each others eyes, until Inuyasha frowned and let Kagome go. "You're still a little warm, Kagome. Come on, you should lie down." Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand and led her over to the beds. He motioned to her side of the connected beds and she reluctantly got in. Then he walked around to his side and sat down with his back up against the backboard. Kagome turned on her side and rested her head on her elbows as she stared at the amber-eyed man.

"Ne, Inuyasha?"

"Ah." Kagome bit her lip, trying to figure out how to word her question. She didn't want to be too blunt because she didn't know how Inuyasha would react. She took a deep breath and then spoke.

"Ne, Inuyasha...did you dream?" He turned to look at her with an expressionless face. Kagome took one look at him and burst out laughing. Inuyasha jumped back a bit in surprise.

"What the hell?!" His golden eyes narrowed, "What's so funny?" Kagome fell over on the bed and held her stomach; she couldn't stop laughing. Tears started to poor down her face as she tried to speak.

"G-Gomen—laugh—d-demo when y-you looked—giggle—at m-me," she stopped to wipe her eyes and her laughter started to die down. "When you looked at me, you looked like y-your brother!" Kagome burst out laughing again and Inuyasha scowled.

"Bitch! Do you know how much of an insult that is?" Kagome choked but kept giggling.

"Gomen, gomen. Demo you had such a placid expression on your face that it reminded me of Sesshomaru."

"Feh." Inuyasha sat back against his pillow and crossed his arms. He stared straight ahead at the wall and Kagome laughed again. Then she inched closer to him and put her head on his arm.

"Ne, come on Inuyasha." Her eyes sparkled with mischief, "Don't be such a killjoy." Inuyasha smirked and Kagome knew she was in trouble. She sat up quickly, her azure orbs never leaving his face. Inuyasha leant towards her and she swallowed in fear.

"You better be careful about calling me names, Kagome." She could feel his hot breath on her skin.

"Nande?"

"'Cause I may start to call you names." All the fear left Kagome's body. She playfully pushed Inuyasha in the chest.

"Mou, Inuyasha you scared me." She smiled but Inuyasha's evil smirk didn't change, "Oh come Inuyasha, what name could you possibly call me that would get me as riled up as you?" His eyes twinkled in the morning light and he leant forward so that his mouth was right beside her ear. Kagome let out a small gasp as Inuyasha's scent assaulted her senses. He inadvertently breathed in her ear and Kagome shivered. She tried to focus on what he was going to say but it was hard when their bodies were so close together. Then Kagome heard him take in a deep breath and she waited for his response.

"Ticklish." It took her a few seconds to realise what he had said. Then her eyes widened in fear and she jumped away from him. Kagome scrambled to get off the bed and out of his reach but Inuyasha caught her ankle and pulled her towards him. Kagome screamed as she flew back onto the bed with a whoosh. She turned and shoved Inuyasha away with all her might.

He moved about an inch.

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome by the waist and started tickling her. The raven-haired woman struggled not to laugh. Her will power lasted about five seconds, then she burst out laughing, trying to stop his hands at the same time.

"Inuyasha...no s-stop!" she said between giggles. This just made him smirk and tickle her more. Kagome grabbed his arms and managed to pull them away. She rolled over hoping to get off the bed, but Inuyasha was too quick and grabbed her wrist.

"You're not getting away so easily, Kagome." Inuyasha smiled wickedly and dragged her onto his bed. This time he pulled her underneath him so she couldn't escape. Inuyasha flipped her onto her back and sat on her stomach.

Then he started his torture again.

Kagome was completely at his mercy. His entire body weight was on top of her and so there was no way she could break out of his grip. She was laughing so hard that tears were pouring down her face.

"Onegai Inuyasha!" she pleaded, "S-st-stop!"

"Iie," he said in a pout. "You called me names." Kagome laughed again but it was more because of the way he looked than the fact he was tickling her.

"I said I was sorry!" she sputtered through tearful giggles.

"Demo, you didn't mean it." Inuyasha smirked, "So this is payback." He started to tickle her again, his hands going to the side of her ribs. Kagome screamed and tried to roll away but she couldn't budge. He was too heavy. She laughed even harder. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks and Kagome willed him to stop, but Inuyasha was merciless. Her face was flushed and she tried to put her arms down in order to stop his hands but it didn't work.

Then she began to choke.

"I-Inuyasha, I c-can't b-breathe," she said, coughing. Inuyasha smiled mischievously but stopped his torment none the less. Kagome took in some deep breaths and then glared at the man who was still sitting on her.

"Mou, Inuyasha. You're mean." This time he was the one who laughed.

"Iie, it was payback, remember?" He looked down at her and Kagome suddenly realised how close he was. She looked up at him in shock as he reached out and brushed a stray hair away from her face.

#-#-#

'She's so beautiful.' Inuyasha thought as he stared into her crystal blue orbs. 'Wait...where the hell did that come from?!' He had just called his best friend beautiful...and he hadn't meant it in a friendly sort of way. Her ebony hair was a bit tangled and a few strands still lay across her flushed face. Her eyes were open a little more than normal but they still had a sleepy glow to them. And her chest movement was more noticeable because she was out of breath.

She looked like a woman who had just had sex...and it turned Inuyasha on like nothing ever had before.

'How is she doing this to me?' he inwardly groaned, 'She' my best friend and yet...right now...I want her as more.' Inuyasha felt his groin tighten and hoped Kagome hadn't. That was just what he needed. He continued to stare at her and his eyes fell to her lips.

They were a dusty rose colour and moist from her tears of laughter. Inuyasha wanted to touch them, to feel them against his own to see if they were as soft as they looked. His hand moved to her face and cupped her cheek.

Neither one of them spoke; the only sound in the room was their breathing. The sunlight drifted in through the window, but for the occupants in the room, time had stopped. Then Inuyasha leant down, bringing his face closer to Kagome's. She licked her lips in anticipation.

"Cough, cough."

Inuyasha and Kagome froze and turned towards the door. Sango and Miroku stood in the doorway, staring at the couple. Sango wore a look of surprise but Miroku was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Inuyasha and Kagome turned back to each other and realised the position they were in. They both turned the deepest shade of red and Inuyasha leapt of the raven-haired woman. Kagome quickly sat up and moved over to her own bed. Blushes still evident on their face, the couple said nothing.

"Did we interrupt something?" Miroku asked, the smile not leaving his face. Kagome blushed even more.

"Iie...ano...we...Inuyasha was just getting me back for calling him names." Kagome replied.

"Didn't seem like much of a revenge." A pillow flew across the room and hit Miroku in the head.

"I was tickling her you moron. Get your head out of the gutter." Miroku raised an eyebrow but brushed him off.

"Anyways, good to see you up and about, Inuyasha." the violet-eyed man said, walking over to the beds. "You had us all really worried."

"You mean you got your mind of woman long enough to think about me?" Inuyasha asked sceptically. Miroku pretended to faint.

"Ah, you injure me with your cruel words Inuyasha," he said, sitting beside him on the bed, "We came to see you, didn't we?" Inuyasha's eyes darkened and he nodded.

#-#-#

Kagome peeked over at Inuyasha. She expected him to be getting ready to hit Miroku at any moment. What she didn't expect was to see him clutching the edge of the bed with his head lowered. His long silver bangs covered his face and Kagome couldn't see his expression.

'I wonder what's wrong.' Kagome thought, 'Is Inuyasha upset that Miroku and Sango came to visit him?'

"Arigatou." Inuyasha voice cracked. Kagome looked over at Inuyasha, waiting for him to continue. "For coming to visit me, I mean." His voice cracked again and Kagome knew he was holding something back. She wanted to run into his arms and tell him that everything was going to be alright; to ask him what was bothering him; to just be held by him, but she restrained herself. Kagome turned back around and looked at her hands. Sango came over to her and sat down on the bed.

"So Anne finally got you your own bed, huh?" Sango winked, "You finally get sick of sitting in that chair all day long?" Miroku laughed along with Sango but the other couple did not join in. Inuyasha got up from his side of the bed and walked around to Kagome's side. He grabbed the chair and placed it in front of the two women.

"Kagome getting sick isn't the half of it," he replied in a cold voice. Miroku joined the rest of the group and sat down beside Sango. They were both looking at Kagome and Inuyasha with confused looks on heir face.

"Nani? What do you mean?" Sango anxiously asked. Kagome took a deep breath and looked into Inuyasha's golden eyes. He stared right back at her and nodded.

"Hojou paid us a little visit last night." Kagome said quietly. Sango and Miroku's mouths dropped to the floor.

"Nani?!" Sango yelled, jumping to her feet. "What do you mean 'Hojou paid you a visit'? What the hell happened?!" Inuyasha's eyes hadn't left Kagome's and she was glad. They gave her reassurance and allowed her to continue.

"He came not long after you guys left. I was sitting with in Inuyasha as usual when someone opened the door. I thought it was Anne bringing up that soup that she promised me, but when I looked over, Hojou was standing in the doorway." Sango's magenta eyes widened. Miroku grabbed her hand and made her sit down. "Then he went into the whole spiel about how he was going to make me pay for ruining his life and came at me with a knife."

"She also had a fever." Inuyasha stated. Kagome rolled her eyes at the silver-haired man.

"Probably from not getting enough sleep." Miroku said. Kagome sent a glare at him and Inuyasha chuckled.

"Told you," he said. Kagome smacked him on the arm and Miroku sent Inuyasha a questioning look.

"That's exactly what Anne said. That she needed more sleep but she won't listen." Kagome stuck her tongue at Inuyasha and grinned.

"It's not my fault," the raven-haired woman complained. "If you hadn't been in a coma for so long I would have slept better. Some times I think I worry about you too much." The other couple laughed and Inuyasha smirked. Kagome, now feeling a little better continued with her story.

"So yeah, Hojou is coming at me with a knife but I'm totally ready to kick his ass," she said, "And I did."

"But not without taking a few hits herself." Inuyasha said, bringing Miroku and Sango's attention to the bandages and bruises on Kagome's body. Kagome blushed a little and self-consciously rubbed her arm.

"The fever had worn her down so her shots weren't as good as they usually were ne Kagome?" Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and nodded. It was amazing how he read her so well.

"Hai, it was kind of hard to focus and so he was able to push me down." Sango let out a little gasp and squeezed Kagome's hand. Kagome looked at her friend and smiled. Sango was always there when ever she needed support. And Kagome was eternally grateful.

"He got me twice with his knife and more with his fists and for once in my life I was ready to give up." Sango squeezed her hand again.

"And that's where I came in." Inuyasha said in a smug tone. Kagome giggled and looked at the amber-eyed man.

"Oh yeah, my knight in shining armour. Or rather, my knight in hospital clothes." Inuyasha glared at her and everybody else burst out laughing. Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest.

"Feh." Kagome continued to giggle as Inuyasha glowered at her.

'You're so cute when you're angry.' Kagome thought, mimicking his own words. She blushed at the memory and giggled again.

"So you subconsciously heard Kagome and came to her aid?" Miroku asked, a grin still evident on his face.

"Hai, something like that." Inuyasha said. Kagome looked at him with a confused look o her face. He had heard her cries for help? Had he really heard her? If he had then that meant...he had heard others things too. Was that even possible? Kagome stared at him in shock but Inuyasha was looking at Miroku and Sango, telling the about how he had come to her rescue and beaten Hojou up even more. Kagome hardy heard a word he as saying. What if he had heard...her confession? Kagome could not remember how many times she had told Inuyasha that she loved him when he was in his coma.

'At least once a day.' Kagome thought. 'Is that why he was acting strange before? Kuso...what if he really did hear me?" Kagome began to panic, thinking that she had now ruined their friendship.

'Baka! Now look what you've done. Inuyasha's never going to talk to you the same way again.' Kagome wanted to run away but Sango still had a firm grip on her hand. Inuyasha seemed to notice her distress because he put a hand on her shoulder.

"You okay, Kagome?" She raised her head and looked straight at him. His eyes were so full of concern that she started to shake. She loved him. She loved him with all of her heart and soul but she would never do anything to ruin her friendship with him. He could see the anguish in her eyes and quickly turned to Miroku and Sango so he could finish the story.

"Anyways, Hojou was standing over me and then Kagome came up from behind and kicked his psycho ass across the room," he said in a rush voice, "But Hojou, the stupid bastard got up again and grabbed her by the waist. He held the knife to her throat and threatened to kill her if I came any closer." Sango gasped and Miroku shook his head. Kagome began to shake even more.

"That fucking asshole," Sango hissed. "I hope you kicked him the balls, Kagome." Kagome's eyes widened and her head whirled to look at her friend. She had such a serious look on her face that Kagome forgot all her worries about whether Inuyasha had heard her confession or not and burst out laughing. Inuyasha pulled back him hand in surprise as Kagome clutched her stomach. She fell off the bed in giggles and soon everyone else was laughing with her.

"I didn't get him in the balls but I'm sure he's going to have a huge headache when he wakes up." Kagome said, finally able to pull herself up off the floor. "I was able to bring my leg up and kick him in the head. Which of course sent him flying into Inuyasha's bed, rendering him unconscious."

"Then what happened?" Miroku prodded. Kagome frowned and turned to the violet-eyed man.

"I don't know." Both Miroku and Sango looked at her in confusion.

"Nani?!" they said at the same time. Kagome just shrugged her shoulders.

"I kinda passed out. I guess the fever had taken its toll on me, 'cause the next thing I remember is waking up in this bed." Inuyasha nodded.

"Hai, after making sure Hojou was really beaten, she totally collapsed." He said, "So I put her in m bed and that's when Anne came in and nearly had a heart attack." Inuyasha explained how he had gotten the old nurse to call the cops and how he had made sure Hojou was in chains even though he had been knocked out.

"I wasn't taking any chances, especially with the state Kagome was in." He suddenly turned to the raven-haired woman, "They wanted to ask you some questions, Kagome but I made them wait until later. I don't know when they'll come by but I didn't want them to bother you because I knew you needed some rest." Kagome nodded her head gratefully.

"Arigatou," she whispered. Then Kagome yawned and stretched her arms. Inuyasha shook his head and turned to the other two.

"You should go. It looks like Kagome still needs some sleep." Miroku and Sango nodded and got up. Kagome smiled at them before speaking.

"Gomen."

"Iie, you need your rest, Kagome. We'll come and see you again later, okay?"

"Hai." The couple said goodbye to Inuyasha and walked out of the room. Kagome lay back on the bed and stretched again. Inuyasha got up from his chair and was about to go and find a shirt when Kagome grabbed his wrist. He stared back at the sapphire-eyed woman.

"Stay with me?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Inuyasha's eyes widened a little but he walked back towards her and sat down on the bed. Kagome moved over, allowing Inuyasha to lie down next to her. His back was against the backboard and Kagome put her head on his lap. Inuyasha began to stroke her dark hair and she sighed in content.

However, no matter how tired she was, Kagome was not able to fall asleep. She lay on Inuyasha's lap, letting her mind wonder to her thoughts from before. She needed to know; needed to know what he had heard. Her body tensed a little and she opened her mouth to speak.

"Ne, Inuyasha?"

"Ah."

"Did you really hear me before you woke up?"

"Ah."

"Hontou?"

"Ah."

"Was that the only time?"

"Iie." Kagome tensed again but she didn't say anything. She had to hear it for herself.

"Although I'm not sure if it was actually your voice but I felt something," he replied. Kagome's body temperature raised a degree. He had felt her, felt her calling to him.

"I think I only heard your actual voice was..." Kagome couldn't take it anymore. She sat up so she could look right into Inuyasha golden eyes. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't frowning either. He was just looking at her. Kagome could see some sort of emotion in his eyes but she couldn't figure out what it was.

"It was when you were singing." Kagome let out a little gasp and covered her mouth with her hand.

"S-singing?"

"Hai. Your voice was clear as crystal," he said, "You did sing, right?" Kagome nodded numbly as tears started to form in her eyes.

"You heard me Inuyasha? I didn't think you would, demo..." A single tear fell down Kagome's face. Inuyasha reached over and held her chin. His thumb caressed her cheek, wiping away the tear. He smiled and Kagome couldn't help but smile back. Then she jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"Yogatta," she mumbled into his chest. "I reached you." Inuyasha drew circles on her back with his hand, allowing her to relax.

"Hai, you reached me Kagome," he whispered as darkness began to engulf her. "And you brought me home."

#-#-#

Kikyou cursed as she heard her cell phone ring. She really didn't feel like answering it.

'Demo, it may be Naraku,' she thought to herself. Kikyou sighed and shut off the water. She stepped out of her shower and wrapped a towel around her body. Water dripped from her long black hair as she opened the bathroom door. Steamed poured out, causing her vision to be blurred for a few moments. She waved her hand in front of her face and walked towards her desk.

"People always seem to know when I'm in the shower," she said, picking up her phone. She looked at the call display but didn't recognise the number. She shrugged and pressed a button. "Moshi moshi?"

"Oi, Kikyou, that you?" a woman's voice sounded from the other end.

"Kagura? Hi, what's up?"

"Nothing really. I just wanted to ask you something." Kikyou raised one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows. Kagura did not sound like herself.

"Nani?" Kikyou asked. She could hear Kagura breathing heavily on the other end, but figured that she was just holding the phone to close to her mouth.

"Did you know that Inuyasha has woken up?" Kagura asked quietly. Kikyou's eyes widened. Inuyasha was awake? When had that happened?

'Shimatta! Now I'm going to have to be careful when I meet Naraku.' Kikyou thought to herself. She was in limbo about Inuyasha waking up. On one hand it was good because now she could torment Kagome some more but on the other hand, it meant that she was going to have to start sneaking around again.

It was easier when Inuyasha was not around because then she didn't have to make up excuses as to why she could not met him after school or something. He had almost caught her once. She had told him that she was busy when he asked her to go to a movie with him and had then slipped out to meet someone. She couldn't remember who the man was but it didn't really matter. Kikyou had been with so many that she did not bother to keep track anymore. Anyway, Inuyasha had obviously decided to go with some friends because she had almost bumped into him at the mall. Had she not been paying attention, she would have walked right into him. And in the arms of another man, too.

It would have been fun at first, just to see the look on his face when he saw her but then her whole plan of ruining her cousin's life would have been pointless. She still needed the silver-haired jackass in order to make Kagome's life miserable. Kikyou still couldn't believe that Inuyasha hadn't figures it out yet.

'He must be extremely dense.' Kikyou thought cruelly. She put her hand to her mouth to prevent her self from bursting into laughter. She didn't want Kagura to hear her so Kikyou coughed a few times and then focused on the conversation.

"Hontou?" she asked, trying to sound concerned, "He's awake? Is he still in the hospital?"

"Uh...hai. Although I think he's going to be released today. Maybe if you hurry you can catch before he leaves." Kikyou frowned. He was being released already?

"He can leave already? Don't they need to do some testing or something?"

"Well, he's been awake for a few days. I thought you had heard already. Otherwise I would have phoned earlier."

"Iie, don't worry about it." Kikyou said, biting her lip. 'It gave me a few extra days with Naraku.' Kikyou inwardly groaned. Now she really would have to go see him.

"Is he doing okay? Have you heard anything else?"

"Well, apparently Kagome got attacked by some guy. Inuyasha woke up right before the guy was going to kill Kagome, but the guy still got him pretty bad. In the end, they were able to beat him, but Kagome fell sick right afterwards so he's been taking care of her." Kikyou almost dropped the phone. Attacked? But...how could they have...she had given him...he had become better...

'Hojou you bastard! You said they wouldn't be a problem.' Kikyou mentally cursed the sandy-haired psycho. 'Fuck, and Inuyasha wasn't supposed to wake up in the middle of it! She hoped he didn't see the...no he wouldn't have noticed...he would have been to busy with Hojou to realise...

"Kami-sama, is he alright?" she asked, her voice dripping with fake sincerity.

"Hai, Kagome got the worse end the fight I think, but they're both okay."

"Oh, okay...ummm...good to hear." Even though Kagura was one of her closest friends, Kikyou had noticed that she had been acting strange these last few weeks. She had been even more quiet than usual so Kikyou was not about to say anything about wanting Kagome dead. She sighed and thanked Kagura for telling her about Inuyasha.

"I think I'll go see him now," she said, hanging up the phone. She went back to the bathroom and dried herself off properly. The she ran a brush through her hair and went to find some clothes. She picked out something even sexier than usual and laughed as she thought of her cousin.

"You may have kept me away before, Kagome," she said to herself as she got dressed, "But you're not about to do anything to me in front of Inuyasha. So I hope you're there to witness my return." Kikyou grabber her keys, slipped on some shoes and walked out the door.

#-#-#

"What do you think will happen when she gets to the hospital?" Kagura asked her partner. Faint music was playing in the background and they were sitting on his couch, drinking coffee. Well, he was sitting on the couch, she was sitting on his lap. The man shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know Kagura," Sesshomaru replied, not looking at her. "Maybe he will have come to his senses, but I very much doubt that. My brother can be very naïve." Kagura lent back and rested her head on his broad shoulders. It had been his idea to call Kikyou about Inuyasha and Kagura had yet to figure out his true intentions.

"Why don't you like Kikyou?" she asked. Sesshomaru's eyes darkened.

"Because she's a conniving little slut." Kagura was taken aback. She had never heard Sesshomaru talk that way about anyone before. His golden eyes had flashed red and his voice was as cold as ice. She shivered and his arm tightened around her waist.

"Cold?" he asked.

"Iie. Demo, did she ever come on to you?" Kagura's voice had gone down, but he still heard her.

"Hai. It was while she was going out with Inuyasha too."

"I see, and it that why you..." Kagura didn't finish her sentence.

"Hate her? Some of it yes but there are other things. I happen to know that Okonosata finding Kagome was not a coincidence." Kagura sat up in shock and stared at the silvered-haired man.

"Nani? Are you saying that Kikyou helped that psycho find Kagome?"

"I don't know but how is it that he new exactly where she was?" Kagura's eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth.

"But, why would she want to kill her own cousin? I mean I know she hates her and all but..."

"Because Inuyasha loves her."

"Nani? But I thought they were just friends." Sesshomaru sighed and leant back against the couch.

"Hai, but did you see the way he was looking at her that day we went to see him? He and Kagome have something that Kikyou and he will never have. No matter how close Kikyou gets, Kagome will always be the person in his heart." Kagura thought back to their visit and her heart skipped a beat. The way Inuyasha had been looking at Kagome was the same way Sesshomaru looked at her now. His gaze had been soft but protective at he same time. Kagura smiled and looked at Sesshomaru.

"Kikyou knows it, doesn't she? That she'll always be number two."

"Ah."

"And that's why she wants revenge."

"Ah."

"Demo..." Kagura was cut off by Sesshomaru's kiss. It was more of a silencing kiss than anything else but Kagura didn't care. Her worried thoughts immediately disappeared as he stroked her lips with his tongue. She moaned, seeking his taste. Her arms coiled around his neck, her coffee cup long forgotten. It fell to the floor and Kagura hoped that there hadn't been anything left.

She could tell Sesshomaru was holding back so she swung her leg over his lap. She was now straddling him. Kagura leaned forward, wanting more and a low growl reverberated in the back of his throat. Then he plunged his tongue into her mouth and Kagura hummed with pleasure. She ran her hands through his long hair and pulled him closer. Her tongue tangled with his, stroking, caressing. Sesshomaru's hands went to her breasts and started to massage them. Sparks sizzled through Kagura's body and she moaned.

Her nipples peaked and stood out through her bra and thin shirt. Her whole body ached and heat pooled between her legs. She ran her tongue along her lover's teeth, enticing him. Sesshomaru finally pulled back, needing air. Kagura licked her lips and leaned in for more but he held her head still. Then he trailed kisses down her neck, stopping at the conjunction of her throat and shoulders. He bit down gently and Kagura momentarily went limp. Then she ran her hands over his shoulders, feeling his muscles through his shirt.

Sesshomaru's hands had not stopped kneading her breasts and Kagura had to use all of her will power to stay focused. His head rose and he looked her right in the eye before crushing her lips with his once again. Kagura felt the bulge in his jeans grow and she rocked her hips against it. Sesshomaru groaned and fought for dominance of the kiss. Kagura gladly surrendered to him and tried to get closer.

"Would you stop moving?" Sesshomaru growled. Kagura giggled and kissed him again.

"Doushite?" She asked. Her voice was smoky and she felt him shiver beneath her.

"Because I'm going to come in my pants if you don't." Kagura smoky laughter filled the room and she rocked her hips against him again, just to frustrate him. Sesshomaru snarled and grabbed her tight before switching their positions. Kagura was flipped onto her back and now Sesshomaru was lying on top of her. She wound one of her legs around him and snuck her hands under his shirt. Kagura outlined each one of his muscles and then moved up to his chest. His skin was hot and she wanted more.

Kagura brought her hands out and started to undo his buttons. It didn't take her long to have the font of his shirt open and ready for exploration. She ran her palms over his chest, making him moan in delight. He seemed to think it was unfair that she have all the fun because before Kagura could protest, Sesshomaru was pulling her own shirt over her head and throwing it to the floor. Then he leant down and kissed her again.

Kagura moved against him, loving the feel of her skin touching his. His hands went down to her breasts and she felt his thumbs brush over her already tight nipples. Fire shot through her body as she arched her back to meet his touch. Nearing her climax already, Kagura was breathing hard. Sesshomaru then moved so his head was in line with her chest. He nipped at her right nipple through her bra and Kagura screamed.

Sesshomaru wound his hand around her body and unclipped her bra. He carefully slipped the straps over her shoulders and threw it to the ground. Kagura's chest heaved and she tried to sit up but her body wouldn't allow her to move. Sesshomaru went back to her right breast and encircled her nipple with his tongue. Then he took the entire thing in his mouth and sucked hard. Kagura's body jumped to life and she arched her back, wanting more of his touch. Her other breast was being kneaded by his hand, so it wouldn't feel neglected.

Kagura was thankful when he stopped because she didn't think she could take any more of his treatment. But then his mouth moved to the other breast and her torture started all over again. When Sesshomaru was finally done with her nipples, he moved back up and claimed Kagura's lips. She moaned with pleasure and snaked her hands around his chest. Their tongues danced and played, each seeking a pleasure of their own. Sesshomaru's hands ran over her body, finally stopping at her waist.

He fumbled with her jeans, almost losing control. He finally got them open when the button flew across the room. The zipper yielded and Kagura gasped as she felt the cold air against her skin. Not wanting to miss out on anything, she quickly did the same thing to him, only keeping the button on. Kagura slid her hands into his boxers and grabbed his butt. Then she carefully pushed his clothes down to his knees. His hard erection poked her in the stomach and she took it in her hands.

Kagura felt Sesshomaru go still as she ran her fingers along his staff. However, his frozen state did not last for long. Sesshomaru shoved Kagura's jeans over her hips, her panties going with them. Kagura smiled seductively and kicked off her pants. Nothing lay between them now and Kagura was burning with anticipation. Sesshomaru looked up and they locked gazes. Then he gripped the couch and plunged into her.

As always, Kagura's world spun. It happened every time they made love and Kagura knew it would never change. Her insides felt stretched by his large member but she also felt full. The first time had been painful but it had soon turned to pleasure as he had moved inside her. Kagura had wanted more and had not let him stop until she was satisfied. Now she could barely keep her hands off him because she knew how it felt to be one with him.

Kagura's insides clenched around Sesshomaru's staff as he drove into her. Every thrust took her to the hilt and she felt her fever building once more. Her legs wrapped around him and she moved her hips up to meet each thrust, taking her deeper. Sweat formed between theirs bodies and Kagura inhaled her lover's musky scent. She wanted to devour him.

His thrusts suddenly became harder, his kiss more hungry. Kagura clung to him, knowing that he wasn't going to be able to hang on much longer. Then Sesshomaru grabbed the armrest and pulled himself forward. Kagura's head flew back and she bucked against his, her orgasm exploding within her. The silver-haired man groaned and plunged into her a final time before he shuddered and collapsed.

Their breathing was laboured and Kagura thought her heart was going to come out of her chest. She could feel his heartbeat and it was just as rapid as hers. As soon as her body permitted her to move, she brought her head up and kissed his shoulder. Then she muttered the same words she always said after they made love.

"Do it again." Sesshomaru chuckled and lifted up his body. He leant on his elbows and kissed her on the nose.

"I think the encore is going to happen in the bedroom." With that, he stood up and picked Kagura up bridal style. She shrieked with laughter as he walked towards the bedroom. It was going to be a satisfying day.

#-#-#

Kikyou pulled into the hospital parking lot with a grin on her face. She had phoned Kagome's dorm room and received no answer which meant she was with Inuyasha. Kikyou chuckled to herself as she looked for a parking place.

"I wonder what my little cousin's reaction will be tom my jumping into Inuyasha's arms when I see him." She smirked. She had been looking forward to this ever since Kagura had phoned. Although something seemed to be bugging her, Kagura had seemed kind of reluctant to inform Kikyou about Inuyasha.

"Maybe she's having her period." Kikyou thought aloud. She finally found a parking place and pulled in. She cut the engine and undid her seatbelt but did not get out of the car. She reached up to the mirror and checked her reflection. Her makeup was flawless and she blew a kiss to her image.

"Perfect, as usual." Kikyou said with a laugh. She grabbed her purse and opened her door. Stepping into the sunlight, Kikyou slid on a pair of sunglasses and looked around. She wasn't parked that far away from the main entrance doors. She closed her door behind her and the automatic locking system went on with a flash of her headlights. She bent down to check her lipstick one more time and smiled. Then she stood up and was about to head towards the hospital when the front doors opened.

Kikyou stood still as Inuyasha stepped out, along with Kagome. They seemed to be talking about something and Kagome laughed. Inuyasha was smiling at her and Kikyou was frozen to the spot. There was something in his eyes. Something that Kikyou could not quite place. He held the door open for her cousin and then she slung her arm into his. If Kikyou had not known better she would have thought they were a couple.

'What the fuck is that little tramp doing?!' Kikyou fumed. Kagome lead Inuyasha down the steps and in the opposite direction from where Kikyou was standing. Inuyasha had not even noticed her. Her entire body shook with rage as Kagome leaned on his arm. He looked down at her with soft eyes and Kikyou wanted to throw something at the couple.

"How dare she hang all over my boyfriend?!" Kikyou said through clenched teeth. The couple reached Kagome's car and the raven-haired woman let go of Inuyasha arm to get out her keys. She pressed a button and her lights flashed, signalling that the alarm was off. Then she walked around to the driver's side of the car and opened the door. Inuyasha was about to open the passenger door when he turned around. His eyes met Kikyou's and she gasped. His face was totally expressionless as he stared into her eyes.

'What the fuck?' Kikyou thought, 'Why is he looking at me like that?' His face may have shown no emotion but his golden orbs burned into hers like fire. She watched as his fists clenched. Then he raised an eyebrow at her and got into the car, slamming the door behind him. The car stood silent for a few seconds and then Kagome started the engine. Kikyou watched the car pull out its parking place and drive towards the exit.

"Did he just blow me off?" Kikyou stared after the car in shock. She couldn't move. She had never seen him look at her like that before and it...it almost scared her. Suddenly Kikyou's legs gave out from underneath her and she slumped against the car. Her eyes widened and her hand rose to her mouth.

"Something's happened..." her voice drifted off. She wracked her brain for something that may have made him act like that and then her eyes narrowed. "He must have thought I was someone else. That's the only possible explanation. I'll ask him about it tomorrow." Kikyou's strength returned to her legs and she steadied herself. Then she turned off her car alarm and got back in. She felt a little uptight and there was only way to get rid of her anxiety.

"I wonder what Naraku's up to."

#-#-#

"Is something wrong?" Inuyasha looked over at Kagome. Her eyes hadn't left the road but they were full of concern.

"Iie."

"Demo, you were staring at something in the parking lot. Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, turning into the left lane. Inuyasha had finally convinced Anne that he and Kagome were both fine and now they were heading back to their dorm rooms.

"Hai. I thought I saw someone I knew but it was just the sun playing tricks on me."

"You're not hallucinating are you? Because I always turn back now and have Anne check you again." Inuyasha laughed and shook his head.

"I'm fine Kagome. Don't worry about me so much." Kagome smiled and took a left at the traffic light.

"Well someone has too," she said blushing slightly. "Are you sure you want to go to school tomorrow?"

"Hai, I've already missed too much and I need to catch up." Inuyasha rested his head on his hand and stared out the window. He had offered to drive home but Kagome had insisted that he still needed rest so he had reluctantly handed over her keys. He had been about to get into the car when he felt like someone was watching him and turned around.

That's when he had seen her.

Kikyou had been standing about thirty feet away from him, next to her car. It had taken an incredible amount of will power not to scream at her. He had also wanted to strangle her at the same time. But he had gripped the car door until his knuckles turned white and then got into the car. How dare she show her face? How dare she even consider coming and seeing him now?

'Glad she could find some time out of her busy schedule of screwing other guys and come visit him.' Inuyasha thought, his blood boiling. 'That bitch is really going to get it the next time I see her.' He watched the buildings pass by and sighed. He actually didn't want to go to school because he didn't want to have to face everyone. Hell, he was probably the only one who didn't know about what Kikyou had been up too behind his back!

'I can't believe I ever trusted her,' he thought. He cringed at the thought of her getting into another man's bed. Inuyasha shivered and suddenly felt a soft hand against his forehead.

"Are you getting a fever? 'Cause its warm in the car and yet you're still shivering." Kagome's face was only a few inches from his and Inuyasha blushed at heir closeness. "You are getting a fever! Your face is going all red."

"Kagome, I'm fine!" Inuyasha finally realised that they had stopped. He turned his head to look out the window and saw that they were in the school parking lot. He was reaching for the door handle when Kagome pulled him back. Inuyasha wasn't ready for the reverse in direction and he lost his balance. He fell towards the raven-haired woman and their lips brushed against each other. He pulled back in shock and embarrassment and Kagome did the same. Then their faces turned bright red. They both faced forward, not saying a word.

'What just happened?' Inuyasha asked himself. That slight touch of their skin had sent sparks down his entire body and Inuyasha found himself resisting the urge to pull her into his arms. This was Kagome he was thinking about...his best friends, right? He glanced over at her and found himself looking her over. His eyes traveled over her neck, chest, abdomen and landed on her legs. They were log and lean and suddenly Inuyasha wondered how they would feel against his, drenched in sweat and entangled with his sheets.

Inuyasha felt his groin tighten and he mentally cursed. Why was he having all these sexual thoughts about Kagome? And why was he becoming more and more glad that he had caught Kikyou in the act? He heard the click of the door open and looked over to see Kagome stepping out of the car.

"Come on Inuyasha, I'm sure Sango and Miroku will want to see you." She smiled at him and it sent more shivers down his spine. Inuyasha opened his own door and got out. He looked around, taking in the sights of the school. It hadn't changed much. He shut the door and started to follow Kagome towards the dorm's main doors. He raven hair bounced behind her and Inuyasha sighed.

'What are you doing to me, Kagome?'

#-#-#

Inuyasha woke up to the sound of someone talking in the kitchen. He rubbed his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. He felt like he hadn't had any sleep, which, for the most part, was true.

He had spent most of the night thinking about Kagome and how his hormones seemed to be going out of control whenever he was around her. The way she had fit into his arms at the hospital bothered him because it felt so right. He wondered why Kikyou had never felt like this. So warm and inviting. Inuyasha sighed and laid his arm over his eyes.

'What is this feeling?' he thought to himself, 'It's like I want her...and in an extremely sexual way. But she's my best friend and I've known her for years. Why am I suddenly feeling this way now?' The talking in the main room had become louder and Inuyasha figured Miroku had turned the television on or something. He sat up and looked over at his digital clock, which was sitting on his bedside table. His eyes widened. He only had twenty minutes to get ready for class.

"Shimatta!" he cursed, jumping out of his bed. Or at least he tried. Inuyasha's legs got caught in the sheets and he ended up on his face instead of his feet. He untangled himself and groped for the light switch. Light flooded the room and Inuyasha had to blink a few times before everything came into focus. He got to his feet and walked over to the door. He opened it with a bang and stepped out of his room.

"Miroku! You bastard, why didn't you wake me up?" He glared at the violet-eyed man and stormed up to him. Miroku was grinning for some unknown reason but Inuyasha didn't care. He grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and brought his fist up, threateningly.

"Why the fuck did you let me sleep so late?" Inuyasha growled. He was about to hit the smiling male when he heard a giggle from behind him. The golden-eyed man froze with his fist still in midair and slowly turned around. His eyes widened as he saw Kagome sitting at the kitchen table.

Kagome stared at him, her eyes alive with amusement and he gulped. Then Inuyasha looked down and his face turned bright red. He was only wearing boxers. Kagome was still staring at him, trying to hold back her laughter. Inuyasha cursed under his breath and marched back into his room, the door slamming behind him. As soon as it closed, he could hear the two laughing and he blushed again.

'I am going to murder Miroku when I see him.' Inuyasha thought as he looked at his clock again. Great, now he only had fifteen minutes. He cursed again and went to his dresser, pulling out a pair of black jeans and a red turtleneck. He put on his clothes and went into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. The bathroom was the only link between his and Miroku's bedrooms. He brushed his long silver hair and used an elastic band to tie it into a low ponytail. A small diamond earring sparkled from his ear and Inuyasha put on his silver Rolex.

Finally satisfied, he stepped out of the bathroom and into his room. The he grabbed his school bag and turned off the light on his way out of the room. He looked around the kitchen, but didn't see any sign of Miroku. Instead, he saw Kagome leaning against the door. Her eyes were downcast and her hands were tucked behind her back, a smile still evident on her face. She was wearing a white blouse with short puffy sleeves and tight fitting jean flares. The white runners on her feet weren't platforms like she usually wore so she was closer to her natural height which was about a head smaller than Inuyasha.

Her layered raven hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, but a few strands had come loose. The framed her face and Inuyasha smiled. She looked so innocent. Kagome looked up, suddenly aware of his presence and Inuyasha's smile turned into a frown. Although she had tried to conceal it with makeup, the bruise on her jaw was still slightly visible.

"You can still see it, can't you?" she asked, her hand going to her cheek. Inuyasha stepped forward and brought her palm away from her face with his right hand. The he put his index finger underneath her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his.

"Only a little," he said. He slowly trailed his finger along her jaw line and then tapped her on the chin. "Probably only the light, anyway. You did a good job of hiding it." Kagome smiled and nodded.

#-#-#

Kagome's heart was beating a mile a minute. Was he...flirting with her? She immediately shook the thought from her head. Why would he be flirting with her? He was going out with Kikyou. But the way he had outlined her bruise with his finger and looked into her eyes told her otherwise. His gaze was soft and warmed her entire body.

"Where's Miroku?" he asked, breaking her out her reverie. Kagome blinked a few times and blushed.

"I-I...ummmm...oh, he went to go find Sango," she stuttered. Inuyasha smirked.

"Getting his beatings kinda early today, huh?" Kagome relaxed and laughed.

"Yeah, but you know she loves it."

"Duh."

"I just don't get it. What doesn't she just admit she likes him?"

"Feh, probably doesn't think he feels the same way." Kagome's eyes widened at his words. Sango was the same as her. Well, except for the fact that Kagome actually did know Inuyasha didn't feel the same way about her. He was with Kikyou and would never return the mix of emotions she felt for him. Love. Want. Need. Longing. Comfort. Safety.

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and blushed. He was still inspecting her and if she were to rise up one tiptoe, her lips would have been touching his. Kagome felt a pain in the pit of her stomach as she struggled to keep her feet o the floor. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to feel his mouth on hers, to run her fingers through his long, silver hair, to taste him. She wanted it all. She wanted her dreams to come true.

Literally.

Kagome took a deep breath to calm her heart as Inuyasha stepped back. She cheeks were slightly red and Kagome was about to ask him if he had a fever but thought better of it. He would just deny it and say he was fine, so what was the point?

"Come on Inuyasha, we should get to class." She checked her watch and breathed a sigh of relief. They still had ten minutes left and luckily, their classroom wasn't that far away.

Kagome secured her school bag and was about to move out of the way when she heard the doorknob turn. She let out a squeak as the door opened, catapulting her forward and into Inuyasha. The forced knocked them both to the floor. They lay entangled in each others arms for a moment before looking up at he intruder.

#-#-#

Inuyasha mentally cursed as he looked up at Miroku and Sango. They both had looks of surprise on their faces and Inuyasha couldn't really blame them. This was the second time they had walked in on him and Kagome when they were in an intimate position.

'At least I have a shirt on this time,' he thought exasperatedly. His hold tightened on the woman in his arms and he helped Kagome to her feet. Her face was beat red. Inuyasha sighed and squeezed her arm, reassuringly.

"Don't you ever knock?" the silver-haired man snapped at Miroku.

"Why should I? It's my room too." Miroku said, raising an eyebrow. "Why? Did we interrupt something Inuyasha?"

"Feh." Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, a slight blush tinting his cheeks. "Why did you come back anyway? Planning to get some alone time before class starts?" Inuyasha smirked as he watched Sango's face turn deep red.

"Uh...We came back for...ummm...apples!"

"Apples?" The dark-haired man grinned at Inuyasha's sceptical look.

"Hai, I had an urge for apples, so I asked Sango to come with me back to the dorm to get some." Inuyasha took a step forward and hit Miroku on the side of the head.

"Baka," he said, "We don't have any apples."

"No apples?" Inuyasha shook his head.

"No apples." Miroku shrugged and rubbed his head where Inuyasha had hit him. Kagome had not moved and neither had Sango; their faces were still slightly pink. Inuyasha turned to the raven-haired woman and grabbed her arm.

"Come on Kagome, we should get to class."

"Ah...hai!" She allowed him to drag her through the door; Miroku and Sango following close behind.

'Well, that wasn't awkward,' thought Inuyasha. He heard Sango and Miroku talking behind him and took the opportunity to ask Kagome something. It had been nagging at his brain since he had walked into the kitchen that morning.

"Why were you in our dorm room so early today, Kagome?"

"I wanted to see you." The bluntness of her words hit him hard and he coughed.

"You wanted...to see m-me?" he asked. Kagome flushed a little and nodded.

"You've been in a coma for almost a month, and I...well...I missed you Inuyasha," she said smiling.

"You did?" Inuyasha asked, still shocked. He didn't understand, she had been beside him the entire time and yet she still missed him? He felt a tug on his heart and gazed over at her.

"Hai." Kagome as staring straight a head of her, not meeting his gaze. Inuyasha closed his eyes for a moment and smile. Then he wound his arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"Arigatou," his whisper was low so only she could hear it. Then he loosened his grip but kept his arm around her. It just felt so natural to him. Inuyasha waited for Kagome to pull away, but she gave no indication that she was uncomfortable with the present situation so he relaxed.

#-#-#

Kagome secretly smiled. He hadn't let go of her waist and even though it may look strange to other people in the school, she was not about to protest. Her automatic reaction had been to put her head on his shoulder but she had caught herself at the last second. She was about to ask him if they were going to meet at their usual place for lunch, when someone call his name.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome felt him stiffen and her cheery mood evaporated. They both turned around to see Kikyou walking down the hallway. Kagome glared at her cousin, but went to step away from Inuyasha all the same.

His grip around her tightened.

"Don't," he said. Kagome looked up at him in confusion. His jaw was set and his golden orbs had lost their sparkle. She followed his stare to Kikyou and then back to his face.

"Inuyasha, daijobouka—" She didn't get to finish her sentence. Kikyou walked up to them and latched herself onto Inuyasha's other arm. She glared at Kagome, motioning for her to move away from her boyfriend but Kagome felt something stir inside her and stood her ground. She wouldn't have been able to do anything anyway; Inuyasha still had a firm grip on her waist.

"Inuyasha!" Kikyou gushed, "I've been so worried about you!" Kagome felt him tense again and then he started to shake slightly.

"Get off me." Inuyasha's voice was a harsh whisper. Kikyou smirked at Kagome and squeezed Inuyasha's arm even more. Kagome's shoulders slumped and she turned her head away. If she was going to cry, it wasn't going to be in front of her cousin. Kagome tried to walk away but Inuyasha would not let go.

"I've missed you Inuyasha."

"Get the fuck off me." Inuyasha snarled. He shoved Kikyou away, pulling his arm out of her death grip. She stared back at him in shock and Kagome had the same expression on her face. What was going on? Why was Inuyasha treating Kikyou like this?

"N-nani?" Kikyou stuttered. Inuyasha's gaze was ice cold and yet the flame of hate burned deep within his golden orbs as well.

"Don't...touch...me..." Inuyasha hissed. Kikyou's eyes moved to Kagome and narrowed. Then she stepped forward and put on the sulkiest face imaginable.

"Inuyasha what's wrong?" she said in a sickeningly sweet voice. Inuyasha didn't move and Kikyou continued, "Inuyasha you had me so worried! I came and saw you everyday but nothing ever happened. I thought I was going to loose you!" Kagome's mouth fell open.

'That bitch!!!' Kagome was seething with rage and wanted to unleash it on the female in front of her. She saw Sango and Miroku walk up beside her out of the corner of her eye and by the looks on their faces, Kagome knew that they had heard everything. She was about to voice her opinion about how full of bullshit her cousin was, but Inuyasha spoke first.

"No you didn't." Kikyou looked confused.

"Nani?"

"You didn't come and see me." Kikyou's face paled and her eyes widened a little. Inuyasha's entire body was shaking and Kagome could feel his anguish from the way he was holding her.

"You never came to see me Kikyo." Inuyasha's eyes flashed red, "You were too busy fucking another guy."

#-#-#

Yogatta – thank goodness

Nande - why

A/N okay, blackmailing time rofl. I noe u guys hate ppl ho do dis but I need 2 noe whether ppl r still reading my fic...and 'sides, after giving u a 20 page chap, I think I need a little bit of an energy booster wouldn't u say? So PLEASE review cuz I'm not updating until I get 200. I noe dat may b a lot but hey, from da result I got last time I blackmailed u it shouldn't b dat hard, ne? o and can sum1 te me how 2 do bold and italic lettering on here? I've seen others do it and I think dats sum stuff would b easier 2 read. I hope u guys enjoyed da chap and all of u Kikyo haters...da fite scene is next so don't leave urself dangin by not reviewing! Its gonn b good cuz u NOE kag's gonna SO kik Kikyo's ass mwahahahahaha. JA NE!!!

--Sereia


	14. Caught

uh, wel, hello! Its bin a while, ne? lol. U guys made me so happy doe cuz I didn't get 200 reviews (I knew dat was asking a bit much so I wusn't expecting it) but so many of dem were LOOOOOOOOOOOONG. U guys had so much 2 say and it was really fun reading dem. I mean most of dem were threats but dey were fun just da same rofl. I'm hoping dat my grammer and stuff is better now cuz I've got 2 beta-readers. THANK U JANELLE AND LARK!!! So yeah if u have a problem w/ stuff ike dat blame dem. Its not MY fault! #Janelle and Lark glare at her# ...ok so maybe it is but u guys should have fixed it!

**Iceprincesse** I noe, inu dus seem 2 get in2 a lot of fites but kag technically won against Hojo lol.

**Kim** ur reviews r always so long, I luv it! Lol, yeah I'm surprised dat da lemons come so naturally... just easy 4 m I guess. I just hope dis story dusn't get kiked off I hate it wend at happens. But yes, kag's plan wil b coming in2 pay soon. Not wut I originally had in mind but still gude lol.

**Loki-TheGrimScreamer ** wel dis chap is just as bad lol. Just as long, I dunno y but my chaps seemed 2 b getting longer each time lol.

**Destiny** waves enthusiastically back lol yeah a lot of ppl were saying dat hey were gonna review more den once. I really don't care cuz at least I noe dat dey like da story lol.

**Blue Vixen ** I noe! Getting caught in embarrassing situations r so funny. And yes, Sesshy will b changed by Kagura, how could he not? Lol

**Stone Dragon, Ruby ** omg! Stupid ppl! Y da fuk did dey delete ur fic? Baka! Rated R stuff means rated R! wut did dey expect! Mou... wle I'm glad u like my fic lol. And I'm sry 4 doing da whole review or I wont update thingy! It'll only b dat 1 time lol.

**Leomae ** hai hai, lemony stuff is always nice lol. And I noe ppl r reading my my fic and I 'preciate da ve feedback!

**Katrina** I think every1 reading dis fic is waiting 4 da inu/kag lemon but it's not gonna b 4 a while, gomen. Dey still hav da dance 2 go 2 remember? Mwahahahaha gonna b fun!

**Drunken Little Monkey ** arigatou! I noe I'm luved its just nice 2 hear it 1ce in a while lol.

**S****leep walking chicken and HAP ** if u like long chap u'll lie dis 1 lol. Its over 20 pages 2 lol. I dunno wuts happening! My chaps just seem 2 b getting longer. Better 4 u I guess. 

**Ladykaa28** yeah, Kikyo's a bitch, ne? dats wut I wus going 4. I'll prolly make her out like dat in all of my fics cuz I generally don't like her. But if I get a really gude idea, den I'll make her on kag's side. But it would b a REALLY AU fic ne? rofl

**keylimeanime ** if I do make it angsty den it won't b 4 a while. Da sequel will b a little darker if dat makes u feel better lol. I'm so weird, I havn't finished dis fic yet and I alredy noe wut I'm gonna do da sequel lol.

**lazydoll06 ** lol, ur 1 of da only Kikyo fans I noe about. She is kinda kewl but I hate da fact dat she dusn't wanna let inu go. 2 bad 4 her in my story doe. She'll never have him (he's mine rofl)

**littlevixen ** I can't say much on da ring rite now cuz well, yeah gonna b a surprise! U'll just hafta b patient!

**Bijin-chan** dats wut I thot but doing da bold/italic thing on my actual file don't work on I think u hafta do sum special tag or sumthing. Bleh, wish I knew wut it wus!

**Ryguy5387** inu/kag fluff is da best, ne? deres lots more in dis chap so hope u wont b disappointed!

**Dragon Tears Wing** gomen, but I don't reply 2 EVERYONE who reviews my fic, dat would just take 2 long lol. Onegai! Don't send ur penguins after me!

**Principessa Squish Avina** lets hear it 4 long chapters! Dis 1 is even longer so I think u'll like it lol **Turnings Ander** lol I noe, da 200 review thing wus evil, ne? every1 hated me 4 it. But reviews r always nice and if ur lucky, Kikyo will get more den a slap in dis chap... **Sam** I can't make inu make Kikyo cry! It would ruin her makeup. I'll just hafta have kag beat da shit out of her instead. Is dat gude enuf?**Green Bird 2071** I'm glad u liked all da Kikyo bashing lol. Deres more in dis chap so u'll like it even more. And I thot da 'kikyo's haters anonymous was HILARIOUS! So funy... **deathsite-zero** arigatou 4 da offer but I now have 2 beta-readers so I think I'll b ok. 

**inu-sm-fan** would u seriously give me a pair of inu's ears?! Dat would b SWEET! I luv his ears mwahahaha, dey're so kawaii!

**Kaye** u noe wut? Dat would prolly happen if u did dat rofl. It wont b quite so forceful in my story and don't worry! It'll happen...sooner or later lol.

**Son Sunami** I think ur review was da longest out of dem all rofl. I noe wut u mean, I HATE if wen I'm reading like 3 stories once (or I have dem lined up in my taskbar) and den da comp freezes! Bleh so frustrating lol, but I'm glad u found dis 1 again!

**Leanne** yeah, southpark has sum great insults lol. And I feel very special now dat u reviewed my fic. I was like u in da beginning (b4 I started writing my own), I didn't like actually reviewing, jut reading dem. But as soon I started 2 actually write I realised how much reviews r appreciated to ARIGATOU!!!

**Bloody Paper Doll** yeah, it seems 2 me dat wen ppl call u names it just means dat dey r wutever dey're calling u but don't wanna admit it. Which means Kikyo is a major slut!

**Ish** Chase girl lol. I've actually never heard of a guy being called Chase so we're at opposite ends of da bat lol.

**code-wyze** I don't mean 2 b critical cuz I luv getting reviews I dun want ppl 2 stop reading my fic but if u read carefully I distinctly mention dat its bin a time span of 3 weeks. I don't talk bout EVERYTHING dat happens in da 3 weeks, dat would b boring, but I do mention da passage of time. And I'm sry about da broken leg thing. Wen u write fics 1 chap at a time u sumtimes 4get about things dat happen in da beginning #looks embarrassed# but I am in da making of redoing my first chapters so dat will b changed. Thx 4 bringing dat up!

**obssessed** don't lose faith! Dat would b bad and I wou;d update whether or not I got 200 reviews. I just did dat bcuz I wanted lotsa feedback.

**Inu Faceness** isn't it annoying how da need 4 sleep gets in da way of reading fanfics? Lol and I will read ur fic, I like it wen reviews recommened dey're own fic (I do it myself) cuz yeah... more feedback dat better ne?

Lark: It's about time you finished this chapter! #eye twitching and holding a sledge hammer threateningly#

Sereia: #cowers in fear# GOMEN-NASAI!!!

Lark: #starts chasing her around the room#

Sereia: #throws pocky over her shoulder and Lark retreats to a corner#

Lark: Pocky...

Sereia: #rolls her eyes# ENJOY!!!

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer**: ... uhh... umm... I own... hmm... #joins Lark in corner as she tries to come up with something#

**_Chapter Thirteen_**

**__**

**_Caught_**

Kagome stood still as a statue as all of the colour drained from Kikyou's face. Sango and Miroku's mouths were hanging open in shock as they stared at Inuyasha. His fist was clamped closed, his other hand still on Kagome's waist. His hold had become a little tighter and Kagome figured he was using her for support. She wanted to smile but this was no laughing matter. How had he found out? She hadn't said anything to him...so who had? Kagome specifically had not told him because she knew it would end up like this. Inuyasha wasn't a very trusting person, which was why it was hard for him to open up to anyone.

"You were too busy fucking another guy, Kikyou," he said again, "I was in the hospital in a fucking coma and you were screwing around. How could you betray me like that? I trusted you..." His voice cracked and he didn't continue. Kagome knew what he was going to say next and she was glad he didn't.

Kagome's heart was beating against her ribs and she was afraid that it was going to pop out of her chest. Her eyes drifted to Kikyou. She was looking at Inuyasha with fake surprise and the colour had returned to her cheeks. Then she turned to Kagome and glared.

"Inuyasha, I don't know what you're talking about," the sweetness dripping off her lips. "I don't know what my cousin has been telling you, but I have been nothing but loyal to you and I always will." Kagome's breath caught in her throat. Inuyasha stepped back and his eyes widened.

"N-nani?" Kikyou smirked, thinking she had fooled him again.

"Hai, Kagome is extremely jealous of our relationship," Kagome's head bent down, her bangs covering her eyes. "I think she may do anything to break us apart, even spinning lies to make you think I had cheated on you."

"Kikyou, what are you talking about—"

"Inuyasha, let me go." Kagome's gaze had not left the floor but her voice was filled with anger. Inuyasha looked over at her, very confused.

"Kagome, daijobou—"

"Let...me...go..." she cut him off again.

"Doushite?" Inuyasha asked reluctantly.

"Because I'm going to beat the shit out of my cousin." Inuyasha was so surprised at her words that he released her from his grip. As soon as he had let go, Kagome took a swing at Kikyou, sending her into the wall with a crash. Sango and Miroku still had their mouths open but snapped them shut as soon as she hit the wall. Then they stepped back to give Kagome more room. A few other people had gathered round to witness what was going on and some had come to the doorway of their classroom. Kagome stood over Kikyou as she struggled to her feet.

"Bitch." She said before taking another swing at her. This one caught her in the stomach and Kikyou bent over wheezing. Then she glared up at Kagome. Slinking away from the wall, Kikyou whirled around and hit Kagome in the back with her foot. Kagome slammed into the wall but ducked her next attack. She jumped away from Kikyou and got into a fighting stance. Kikyou rubbed her shoulder and then frowned at her.

"This is all your fault!" she yelled.

"My fault?! How the hell is this my fault? You're the one acting like a slut!" Kagome yelled. She was sick and tired of Kikyou and all her bullshit.

"What the fuck did you say to him?!" Kikyou demanded.

"I didn't tell him shit! I don't know who did and I don't fucking care. All I know is I've waited years to take you down and this is the perfect opportunity." Kagome threw a punch at Kikyou, going for her head. Kikyou ducked and caught the other woman in stomach. Kagome flinched but stood her ground. She yanked on Kikyou's arm, causing her to go headfirst into the floor. Then Kagome spun and kicked her in the side. Kikyou rolled over and threw her leg up in the air, grazing Kagome chin. Kagome grabbed her leg and picked her up. Then she swung her around and into the wall once again. The small crowd cheered from behind.

"You fucking whore!" Kagome spat, "Did it ever occur to you what you were doing? Maybe you should get your puny brain examined." Kikyou smirked and pulled on Kagome's hair. It caught her off balance and suddenly her face was right in front of Kikyo's.

"At least I'm not in love with my best friend," she whispered. Kagome's eyes flashed red and she pushed Kikyou away.

"Shut the fuck up." Kikyou smirked again and jumped to her feet. Kagome did the same and they started to encircle each other like hungry sharks. She caught Inuyasha's gaze out of the corner of her eye but could not read his expression. His face seemed to have iced over and Kagome turned her focus back to Kikyou. The woman was looking at her with such fury that she almost laughed. Kikyou really needed to tone down her emotions. However, Kagome hoped that Kikyou kept that little piece of information to herself because she didn't think she would be able to bare it if it came out in front of all these people.

The students had made a ring around them and Kagome was surprised that they hadn't started chanting "Fight, fight". All of their eyes were focused on the two cousins. Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha stood on the inner most part of the circle, staring, watching, waiting. By the look on Sango's face, Kagome was wondering if she was planning on joining her in a game of 'Kick Kikyou's Ass'.

'Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest.' Kagome thought, her fists up by her face. Kikyou's hands were raised as well but they were open, showing off her perfectly manicured nails. Kagome looked at her and laughed.

"Are you sure you're up to this Kikyou?" she mocked, "You may break a nail."

"Or your neck."

"Not likely."

"We'll see."

"Bring it on."

"Chickens first."

"Then move." Her face was twisted with rage and Kagome bent her knees a little more. Then Kikyou struck. She came at Kagome with such a burst of unreadable speed that Kagome was not able to move in time. She tried to duck but Kikyou caught her in the chin with an uppercut, sending her flying. Unfazed, Kagome jumped to her feet and got back into her stance. Kikyou came at her again but this time Kagome was ready. She bent down low and used Kikyou's speed against her, shoving her shoulder into Kikyou's ribs and flipping her onto the floor.

She hit the floor with a thump and blinked because the air had been knocked out of her. She coughed a few times, trying to catch her breath but Kagome was already on top of her. She pulled at Kikyou's hair and slammed her head into the floor. Then she punched her in the face and slammed her into the floor again. Then Kikyou's leg flew up and hit Kagome in the back of the head. She slumped over and Kikyou rolled away. Kagome watched her lick the blood from her lips and started to stand. She got into a kneeling position but Kikyou reached her before she could get the other foot on the ground.

Kagome's head spun to the right as Kikyou hit her in the jaw. Crying out in pain, Kagome rolled away. She spat the blood from her mouth on the ground and got to her feet. Glaring at Kikyou, Kagome hunched over and ran at her cousin, tackling her to the floor. She caught her in the stomach and Kagome heard Kikyou groan as she hit the floor. Then with lightning speed, Kagome was on top of Kikyou, punching her in the face. Kagome was becoming more and more satisfied every time her fist made contact with her cousin's skin.

She saw blood running down Kikyou's mouth and was about to hit her again when Kikyou tugged on her hair. Kagome cringed as Kikyou yanked her off. Kagome rolled on to her side and stared at her cousin as she got to her feet. Kikyou loomed over her but Kagome did not move. She just waited.

"You fucking whore!" Kikyou spat, "Don't you get it? I will always be your superior; always. No matter what you do, or how hard you try, I will always be better than you." Her eyes flicked towards Inuyasha who was still staring at the couple with shocked eyes. Anger burned through Kagome's body but it did not show on her face. She smirked up at her cousin and sighed.

"I think you're the one who doesn't get it, Kikyou." Kikyou's eyes narrowed and she went in for the attack. She lifted her leg up and brought it down towards Kagome's head. Kagome stayed still and then everything happened in slow motion. Kikyou's foot was mere inches from her face when Kagome's hand shot up. It grabbed the foot and held it right above her face. Then Kagome smirked again before twisting the foot hard. Kikyou's spun around in mid-air and Kagome jumped to her feet. She let go of Kikyou's foot and grabbed her neck instead. Kikyou's eyes bulged at Kagome squeezed. Her knee was under Kikyou's back; her only support other than the hand around her neck.

The entire hallway was blanketed in silence. No one around the couple made a sound and Kagome glared at her cousin. Kikyou's hands went up to free her of Kagome's death grip but most of her energy had already been spent. She struggled to release herself from the hand that was wrapped around her throat but Kagome was not about to let go. Then the younger woman smirked.

"You're the one who doesn't get it," Kagome repeated, "I surpassed you long ago." Kagome squeezed even harder and then threw her cousin to the floor. Kikyou coughed, trying to take in as much air as she could. She clutched her throat, massaging it. Kagome stared at her cousin with all the hatred she could muster. This was the final time Kikyou was going to intimidate her. She had put up with it through the years but her patience had run out. Kikyou got to her feet and spat some blood on the floor. She looked at her cousin and tossed her hair back.

"Surpassed me? I don't think so my dear cousin. Try as you might, there are some things that will never be yours." Her eyes went to Inuyasha for a moment and Kagome could not help but laugh. Kikyou's gaze wavered and she shot a look at the sapphire-eyed woman. Inuyasha was also staring at Kagome, who was still laughing. Her laughter bounced off the walls as Kikyou glared at her cousin. As soon as it died down she looked at Inuyasha and gave him a warming smile.

#-#-#

Inuyasha stared back at Kagome in shock. What had caused her to hit Kikyou? And why was he silently praying that she would do it again? Inuyasha knew he was angry at Kikyou. He could not suppress the hatred he felt towards her now. She had betrayed his trust and his... well, he had to wonder whether or not he had actually loved her in the first place. As soon as he had realised what was happening on the other end of the phone, every single good feeling he had had towards her vanished. And then she had the nerve to lie about it. It was confusing, he once thought he had loved her but as soon as he had hung up the phone he wasn't so sure.

Inuyasha clenched his fists in anger but his eyes still bore into Kagome's. She was looking at him with such compassion that his entire body felt warm. Laughter still shone from her eyes and Inuyasha wanted to reach out and touch her but his feet were rooted to the floor. He still did not understand why she had been laughing but he did not really care. Her laughter was light and bubbly, and yet it also had a twinge of mockery to it. It had flown around him and everyone else in the hallway, swirling like the wind until it had disappeared around the corner.

But one question still plagued Inuyasha's mind.

'Why is Kagome so mad?' He thought to himself, 'What did Kikyou say that pissed her off so much?' Inuyasha wracked his brain, searching for the phase that had set Kagome off. He knew that Kikyou had lied but Kagome must have been used to that. Kagome finally turned back to her cousin and smirked at her.

"Baka," she said, "It was never yours in the first place." Inuyasha's eyes face turned into a look of confusion as Kagome got into another fighting stance.

'What the hell did she mean by that?' Suddenly something registered in his mind. Something that Kikyou had said right before Kagome had struck her.

**_Kagome is extremely jealous of our relationship._******

Kagome was jealous? Why the hell would she be jealous? Maybe he had been spending more time with Kikyou, than he had with Kagome.

'That has to be the reason.' Inuyasha thought, shaking his head. But as he looked at Kagome take a swing at Kikyou, he realised it must have been something more. Kagome was not a person to let her anger get a hold of her. She was usually calm and collected. Well, except when she got into an argument with him; but even then it was still fun. Kagome loved to argue, especially with him because he was one of he few people who would put up a fight. Inuyasha smiled at the thought of how Kagome looked when in the midst of a heated debate. In school she was very professional about it but when it was with him, it was much more passionate. It didn't matter how trivial the subject was, Kagome refused to lose and Inuyasha could see the same look in her eyes now: she was not going to give in to her cousin.

Kagome ducked under Kikyou's fist and swung her leg around on the ground. She took Kikyou's feet out from under her and Kikyou fell on her ass. Then Kagome kicked her into the wall with both feet and Kikyou lay there, clutching her stomach.

"You need to learn your place, Kikyou," she said, rising to her feet. Kikyou just glared at her but did not get up. Kagome bent down and grabbed a chunk of Kikyou's dark hair in her hand. She brought her face to meet her own and Inuyasha could see the electricity burning between them. One had to wonder if they had ever acted like family.

"Your place is on the street, Kikyou." Kagome hissed, "With all of the other trash. You deserve nothing more than to be thrown in the gutter, because you'll never be worth anything." She let go of Kikyou's hair and stood up. The woman on the floor just stared up in shock, hatred pouring out through her dark eyes. Kagome turned around and walked to Inuyasha, his mind still on why she begun the attack in the first place.

Inuyasha had ignored his thoughts in the beginning, mainly because everything else Kikyou had said was a lie. But then again, he had never seen Kagome so mad. Her blue eyes had turned stormy and been focused intently on causing her cousin pain. But Inuyasha wanted to know why. Inuyasha wanted to ask Kagome so many questions but the words would just not form in his mouth. He swallowed and was finally able to moisten his dry throat. Kagome was still walking towards him when he caught a flash of movement behind her. His eyes widened as Kikyou slunk towards Kagome, something silver flashing in her hands. Kagome must have seen Inuyasha's expression because she slowly turned her head around but it was too late.

"Never turn your back on your enemy." Kikyou said, raising the dagger up into the air. The crowd uttered a gasp as Kikyou brought it down towards Kagome's heart. Kagome's mouth opened into a small 'O' but she didn't have time to move. Time seemed to slow down as Inuyasha reached out for Kagome and pushed her out of the way with all of his strength. Kagome fell back in surprise, Kikyou's knife only catching the upper part of her arm. Kagome cried out in pain as she fell to the floor, clutching her arm. Then Inuyasha grabbed Kikyou's wrist and pushed his thumb into one of her pressure points. The dagger fell to the ground with a clatter and he shoved Kikyou back into the centre of the circle.

"Don't you know when to quit?!" Inuyasha roared, "You've been beaten! Does causing her harm mean so much to you? I can't believe that you'd actually try...to... You make me sick!" He felt everybody's eyes on him but he was only focus on the filth in front of him. Kikyou scowled and held her wrist, discomfort written all over her face. Then her eyes filled with pain.

"Does she really mean that much to you Inuyasha?" Her voice wavered slightly.

"What does it matter to you? You never really cared about me anyway." Inuyasha spat. Kikyou continued to stare at him, her eyes trying to see into his soul. Then her gaze hardened and she stood up tall.

"You didn't answer my question, Inuyasha," she said, "Do you put your best friend before me?"

"Hai," he said without any hesitation. "She will always come before you, Kikyou. Always." With that, Inuyasha turned towards Kagome who was still lying on the floor. Her eyes were brimmed with tears and Inuyasha instantly knew how much she had been holding in. He reached down and helped her to her feet, sliding an arm around her waist like he had done before.

"Come on Kagome," he said gently, "I'll take you to the nurse." Kagome nodded and leant on his shoulder, allowing him to support her as the walked down the hall.

"This isn't over, Kagome." Kikyou yelled from behind them. Kagome sighed but didn't make any comment. She just shook her head.

"Baka," she said, under her breath. Inuyasha looked over at her and smiled.

"Maybe that's what I should be calling you," he said with a smirk.

"Nani? What the hell did I do?"

"Well, I don't think fighting is one of the school rules."

"That bitch had it coming."

"Have you always felt this way? About Kikyou, I mean?" Kagome looked down at the floor and didn't say anything. Inuyasha was about to ask her again when he realised they were already at the nurse's office. He pushed open the door with a sigh and decided to question his best friend about her strange behaviour later.

#-#-#

"Wow, she really gave you a beating, huh?" Yura looked at Kikyou as she tried to cover some of the bruises on her face. Her skin was free of all the blood that had been spilt and Kikyou was desperately trying to cover up the colourful splotches on her face,

"That bitch," Kikyou muttered. "I swear if it's the last thing I do, I'm gonna kill her." She continued to apply makeup to the blue spots on her jaw.

"Jeez Kikyou. Just because she beat you in a fight, doesn't mean you have to go all mental." Kikyou whirled around and stared at her friend.

"This is not just about that stupid fight, Yura. She ruined my fucking reputation and she's gonna pay."

"Nice choice of words there, Kikyou." Kikyou rolled her eyes and went back to looking in the mirror. As soon as Inuyasha had pulled Kagome away, the crowd had started to whisper amongst themselves, spreading the news about the fight like wildfire. Kikyou had grabbed her switchblade and stormed off to the woman's bathroom, only to be joined by Yura moments later. Kikyou had just ignored Yura's comments about what had happened and carried on with applying concealer to her discoloured skin.

"So how do you plan on ruining her life this time?" Yura asked, looking at her nails. They were a deep, seductive red that matched her hair band. Kikyou shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. But I'm sure I'll think of something that will bring her self-confidence down a notch." Kikyou smirked and looked at her reflection. The bruises were gone, hidden beneath her makeup. Her face was once again flawless. Now all she had to do was bring her reputation back to the same level. It was not going to be easy, but she always got her way.

Even if it meant crushing everybody in her path.

Kikyou straightened and put her makeup back in her bag. She turned around and leaned against the counter. She stared at the floor, trying to think of the worst possible thing she could do to Kagome. It would be impossible to spread lies about her because no would believe them now. It had to be something that involved visual proof. Kikyou cursed out loud and banged her fist on the countertop.

"Kuso...what am I going to do?" She seriously had no idea what she could do to ruin her cousin. She heard Yura sigh but didn't look up at her. "I'm sorry, do I bore you?"

"Oh come on Kikyou. Just because you're mad at Kagome doesn't mean you have to bitch at me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That you should get a grip! You're not going to be able to do anything today, so why don't you just forget about it for now?" Rage seethed in Kikyou's body and her arm shot out, grabbing Yura's neck. The brunette squeaked in surprise and tried to step back but Kikyou had a firm grip on her throat.

"Don't...tell me...what...to do..." she ground out, narrowing her eyes, "You can't begin to understand what I'm going through." She glared at the woman one last time before shoving her aside. Then she stormed out of the public washroom, leaving a stunned Yura gasping for breath.

#-#-#

Kagome sat patiently on the nurse's bench while the nurse tended her arm. She had washed it to make sure it didn't get infected and then put a piece of gauze on it to stop the bleeding. The nurse slowly wrapped the tape around the cut and picked up a pair of scissors to cut off the extra bit.

"You have a very caring boyfriend," she stated, cutting through the tape.

"N-nani?" The nurse motioned to Inuyasha, who was sitting in the waiting area. Kagome blushed and shook her head.

"He's not my boyfriend."

"Could have fooled me."

"Why do you say that?" Kagome asked, panic coursing through her body. Had she let her guard down and done something to reveal what she really felt for Inuyasha? She tried to remember if she had done anything out of the ordinary.

'Maybe it was because I was leaning on him when we came in.' Kagome thought to herself, 'But I was injured! It would have been the same with anybody else.' It wasn't like he had carried her or anything; Inuyasha had just been holding her around her waist and helping her stand. What was wrong with that? She as about to question the nurse again but she was cut off.

"You could tell be the way he was looking at you when he brought you in here." The nursed turned and busied herself with putting her supplies away. Kagome stared at her back with wide eyes.

'The way he had been looking at me? How had he been looking at me?' She glanced back at the silver haired boy. He was sitting on one of the stools with his hands in his lap. His bangs were draped over his eyes so Kagome could not see his expression. She sighed and her heart went out to him.

'That's not the way I wanted you to find out,' she thought to herself, 'Poor Inuyasha, you can't help who you fall in love with.'

/Looks who's talkin'./

'Did I ask for you opinion?'

/Yes you did, as soon as you started talkin' to yourself./

'Why are you always so sarcastic?'

/Why do you always keep your feelings to yourself?/

'Because.'

/Baka, that's not an answer./

'Because I...I didn't want to ruin what we have.'

/Even if telling him could make it more...?/

'He just broke up with Kikyou! I don't want to make it worse. Besides, he doesn't feel the same way...' Kagome trailed off. As much as she did not want to believe it, Inuyasha would never see her as anything more then a friend.

/Funny how you seem to be the only one who thinks that./

'Would you leave me alone?!'

/Some people are so touchy./ Kagome sighed again. She wanted nothing more than to run into his arms and never let go. To feel his lips against hers and know that it was her he saw and no one else. Kagome yearned for his tough and the soothing sound of his voice as she fell asleep in his embrace. She shivered at the thought of sharing the same bed.

'Nothing more then a fantasy.' She looked back at Inuyasha to find his stool empty. Her eyes watered a little but she was not surprised. He had probably gone to see if Kikyou was alright. No matter how much he said he hated her, Kagome knew deep down he still cared for her. She got off the bench just as the nurse came around the corner.

"You should try not to use that arm, Higurashi-san," she said, "It may not be very big, but whatever cut you went in pretty deep and I don't want it opening up again." Kagome nodded. Then she asked the nurse for a medical slip explaining why she had missed her first class. The nurse wrote both of their names on the paper before ripping it off her pad.

"Try to stay out of trouble," she said, handing Kagome the piece of paper. "Oh, and tell your escort to help you with anything you need. I don't want you using that arm unless it's absolutely necessary." The nurse winked and Kagome have her a confused look.

"Escort...?" She turned around and froze. Inuyasha was leaning against the doorframe. His arms were across his chest and there was a Snickers bar in his hand.

"Ready to go?" he asked looking up at her. Kagome could only nod. The nurse nudged her from behind and she stumbled forward. Inuyasha's free hand shot out and steadied her. Then he nodded to the nurse and hustled Kagome out the door.

#-#-#

"You need a keeper." Inuyasha said as soon as they were out of the nurse's office. His arm was around her waist again, keeping her firmly against him.

"She was the one who pushed me." Kagome retorted.

"Well if you hadn't looked like you had seen a ghost, she wouldn't have needed too," he said, "Why were you so surprised to see me anyway?" Kagome gaze flittered to the floor and she nervously twirled a lock of hair around her fingers.

"I thought you had left," she whispered, "I didn't see you in the waiting area so I didn't expect you to be waiting for me." Inuyasha stopped, almost causing Kagome to trip over her own feet.

"You thought that I had left you there all by yourself? Why the hell would you think that?"

"I figured you had gone to see...Kikyou." She said. Kagome did not have to look at his face to know that he was stunned at her words. She had guessed right, he had gone to see her. No matter how many times she kept telling herself that he didn't care about her more than a friend there had been a spark of hope that his relationship with her cousin was over. She had hated herself every time she wished her cousin dead because it did not matter what she did, Kikyou was still family. But earlier in the hallway she had lost it and proceeded in kicking Kikyou's ass. And she did not regret it.

For the first time in her entire life, Kikyou had not been family. She had just been a cheating bitch and any feelings Kagome still had for her cousin vanished. Kikyou would not be able to redeem herself this time and Kagome was glad. Kikyou had taken both her and Inuyasha for granted and she was glad that she would not have to put up with her conniving ways any more. However, Inuyasha would not be able to forget Kikyou and she knew it. Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes and she stepped away from him.

Or at least tried too.

Before Kagome could move out of his reach, Inuyasha turned her around and encased her in his arms. Kagome's heart sped up as they stood together in the middle of the empty hallway. She breathed in his musky scent and allowed it to engulf her senses.

"Baka," he said, squeezing her tighter, "Do you really think that I'm that shallow?"

"I—" Kagome got cut off as Inuyasha continued.

"I didn't go see her, Kagome. She betrayed me and I want nothing to do with her now." Inuyasha breathed into her ear, causing shivers to up and down her spine. "And even if she hadn't, I was too worried about you to do anything else. You've been through a lot."

"But I was fine." She protested, thinking he was babying her, "It was only a scratch and—"

"I'm not talking about that Kagome." Inuyasha pulled away so that they were face to face. Kagome's gentle features were filled with confusion as she stared into his golden orbs.

"Then what...?"

"You attacked Kikyou for a reason, Kagome. It wasn't just a family feud, I could tell by the way you were looking at her." Kagome could not have moved if her life depended on it. Inuyasha's caring but knowing eyes seemed to be looking into her soul and as much as she wanted to, Kagome did not have the will power to tear her gaze away. She wanted to tell him everything. Why Kikyou had asked him out, why she hadn't told him about what Kikyou was doing behind his back, why she stayed awake at night wishing she was in his arms. But she couldn't. Inuyasha was the person that she trusted most in the world and yet she couldn't tell him her biggest secret.

"You eyes were full of pain Kagome," he said, bringing her out of her thoughts, "I had never seen you so angry and I couldn't understand what had made you so mad." Words would not form in her mouth. Kagome felt his breath on her lips and had to push down the urge to close the distance between them.

'Baka! He's trying to talk to you and all you're thinking about is kissing him.' She turned her head away, breaking their eye contact.

"I-I...I just couldn't let her get away with what she had done, Inuyasha. She hurt you and betrayed your trust." Inuyasha put his finger underneath her chin and brought her face up to meet his.

"I know it's more then that, Kagome. I had to use you for support when I was confronting her and yet I was not where near as angry as you were." Kagome's eyebrows rose and she laughed.

"Oh, is that what you were doing when you wouldn't let go of me?" she teased. Inuyasha blushed and his hands dropped to his side. "The almighty Inuyasha needed help from a woman? I think the world's coming to an end." He scowled at her but his eyes were full of amusement.

"Wench," he said. He leaned against the wall and Kagome smiled at him. "Don't push your luck." She giggled and took a step back innocently.

"Demo Inuyasha, don't you think Miroku and Sango would find it funny to know that you needed the help of a woman? I think they would find it most interesting." Inuyasha glared at her and Kagome knew she was in trouble. She turned around and ran down the hall, laughing. She heard Inuyasha growl and run after her. Kagome turned the corner and almost fell. She skidded to a stop right before the wall and pushed off with all of her strength, knowing that she would not be able to out run Inuyasha for long.

"You are so gonna get it when I catch you, Kagome." Inuyasha said from behind her. She giggled again but didn't look back at him.

"But you see, that's going to be problem, Inuyasha," she called back to him, speeding up, "You have to actually catch me first!" Kagome focused on avoiding any obstacles that would slow her down. She didn't want to suddenly trip over something because at the rate she was going, she would end up flying down the hall.

'I'm lucky everyone is still in class,' she thought to herself. 'Otherwise Inuyasha would have had no trouble catching up to me.' Kagome looked ahead and realised that she was coming to the end of the hallway. She turned to her left and slid across the floor but didn't stop. Kagome heard Inuyasha curse behind her and laughed again.

"What's the matter Inuyasha?" she called, "Can't even beat a girl?"

"Bitch, you are in so much trouble!"

"Not if you can't catch me!" Kagome said in a singsong voice. She was having so much fun! This was how she remembered it: just her and Inuyasha, fooling around and having the time of their lives. It was like they were little kids again, playing tag in the backyard. Inuyasha always won of course but she never cared. Kagome always gave him a run for his money and in the end they would collapse on the ground, gasping for breath.

'Not this time.' Kagome thought determinedly. She planned on running all the way back to their dorms. She wanted to beat him once, just once and even though she had already worn herself down a little from the fight, Kagome swore that she wasn't going to lose. She heard Inuyasha's footsteps get closer and willed herself to go faster.

'Only one more corner and then it's straight to the dorms,' she thought with glee. She dug her feet into her shoes and pushed harder on the floor. Kagome's stamina was running down but she refused to slow down. She spotted the end of the hallway and prepared to turn. She didn't want to slide as much this time because it would give Inuyasha an advantage.

"Do you plan on giving up anytime soon?" Inuyasha called. Kagome took a deep breath and rounded the corner.

"Iie!" she said, "Doushite? You getting tired Inu—" Kagome smacked into something hard and went flying backwards. Her arms shot out as she tried to grab something so she wouldn't end up falling on her ass. Then someone grabbed her wrist and steadied her. Kagome's eyes took a moment to adjust. They settled on a tall figure with brown hair and Kagome pulled her hand away in disgust.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here," the figure sneered, "Aren't you a little old for running in the hall Kagome?"

"Aren't you a little dumb to be forming full sentences Kouga?" Kagome mocked. His lightning blue eyes went up and down her body and Kagome felt violated. She took a step back in repulsion and he took a step forward.

"Did you cut class to come and see me Kagome? I never knew you felt that way." Kouga reached out and hooked his arm around her waist.

"Bastard," Kagome spat, "Why would I cut class to come on see you? You're nothing more than a worthless toad. No let me go."

"So feisty." Kouga whispered. He started to nuzzle her neck and Kagome pushed against him.

"You fucking hentai!" she said, "Let me go!" Kouga looked into her eyes and brought her face up to his. Their noses were less than an inch part and Kagome could feel something growing in his jeans. She pushed against him again but his arm was firmly locked around her waist.

"Why should I?"

"Because you probably want to see the next full moon." Kagome watched as Kouga's eyes widened. His gaze floated upwards and he stared behind her. His grip around her loosened and he stumbled backward. Kagome stared at him; he looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Y-You! How did you...? You're supposed to be..."

"In a coma? Yeah. But the thought of never getting to pound you again woke me up." Inuyasha growled. "So Kouga, did you miss me?" He walked up to Kagome and stood beside her. She breathed a sigh of relief as his arm wrapped around her waist. She felt so...safe in his arms. Kagome did not know why, but Inuyasha always gave her a sense of security whenever they were together. Kouga would not have been hard to deal with but she was still out of breath from running through the school. She stole a glance at the silver-haired male and then glared at the man in front of her.

"Bastard, how did you survive?"

"Just lucky, I guess." Kagome looked at them both in confusion.

'He knows something,' she thought, gazing back at Kouga, 'He knows something about what happened that day.' Kouga's hands clenched and unclenched as he stared at the couple. She could feel the electricity flow between them and shivered. Then Kouga looked at her and his face became twisted with anger and longing.

"Kagome, why do you still hang out with this guy?" he asked, walking up to them. "You're my woman, remember?" Kagome took one look at him and burst out laughing. She clutched her stomach as she tried to control her laughter. Inuyasha, who had been glaring at Kouga, looked at her in surprise. When her giggles had finally subsided, Kagome straightened up and looked straight into Kouga's eyes.

"Newsflash, Kouga," she said, amusement still dancing across her features, "I don't date guys that I can beat in a fight." Kouga's face darkened and a deep blush spilled onto his cheeks. He scowled at her but didn't say anything. Then he shoved his hands into his pockets and stormed passed the couple and around the corner. As soon as he was out of sight, Kagome erupted into giggles again.

"Did you actually...?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome nodded her head.

"Beat him up? Hell yeah! You should have been there Inuyasha. It was so pathetic. I don't think it took more than five minutes." Inuyasha smirked and patted her on the back.

"I bet. Did he limp away in defeat?" Kagome shrugged her shoulder and laughed again.

"I don't know," she said truthfully. "When I left the classroom he was unconscious." Inuyasha took one look at her and started to laugh. He clutched his stomach the same way Kagome had done earlier and tears formed in his eyes.

"Seriously? Kami-sama, I wish I had been there." He said, wiping his eyes with is red sleeve, "I am not gonna let him live this one down."

"Oh yeah, I totally kicked his ass." He laughed again and shook his head.

"Beaten by a woman." Kagome's eyebrow rose and she put her hands in her hips. She turned to Inuyasha and gave him a sceptical look.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, "Why does being female make a difference?"

"Oh come on Kagome! Even you know that being beaten by a woman in a fight will take a huge chunk out of any man's ego."

"I'm a good fighter, period, Inuyasha. My gender shouldn't matter." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and his arms crossed over his chest.

"This isn't going to turn into one of those 'battle of the sexes' is it?" se asked, "Because you know who's going to win."

"You're so full of shit." Kagome's voice rose but her eyes were still full of laughter. She loved having these pointless arguments with him because neither of them was ever serious. It didn't matter who 'won', they always ended up laughing until their sides hurt. However, Kagome knew she was losing at the moment. She needed to do something to get the upper hand.

#-#-#

Inuyasha smiled as he looked at his best friend. Her hands were on her hips and a pout on her face. She looked so adorable; she reminded Inuyasha of a five-year-old who wasn't getting her way. Her weight was shifted to one side and her left foot was tapping lightly on the ground. He could tell that she was annoyed with him but he didn't really care. It was all fun and games, and she knew it. Sunlight was drifting in through the window she was standing next to and outlined her head like a halo. She looked like a cute, sulky angel. He felt his staff stir and heat ran up into his face.

'She's doing it again,' he thought irritably, 'All she's doing is standing there and yet I'm hard as a rock. Why am I feeling this way?' No matter how many times he had thought about it, Inuyasha still could not explain the new emotions Kagome was causing inside him. He had never felt so...pulled towards a woman in his life, not even Kikyou. It surprised him that all the feelings he had felt for his now ex-girlfriend were being replaced so quickly. They were also being intensified tenfold every time Kagome came within twenty feet of him. Things like want, need, lust, longing; all the emotions he had been careful of were now consuming his entire body and making him go out of his mind.

'Why am I feeling like this now?'

/Because you're finally seeing her as a woman.

'No one asked you.'

/Who else is going to answer when you talk to yourself?/

'Feh.'

/Baka! You're still hung up on Kikyou./

'I am not! She can rot in hell for all I fucking care.'

/Then why are you so afraid of falling for your best friend?/

'I'm not falling for her.'

/Explain the tent in your pants then./

'Hormones.'

/Bullshit. You like her more than a friend, why don't you just admit it?

'Why don't you just fuck off?'

/Baka./ Inuyasha ran his hand over his face and sighed. His inner voice had been expressing its opinion more often than usual and it was getting annoying. It was annoying how it popped up out of no where; it was annoying how it was as stubborn as him; it was annoying how he wasn't against everything it said.

'Am I really falling for her?' Inuyasha looked over at his best friend. She was obviously deep in thought because her eyes were unfocused and her hands hadn't moved from her hips. Inuyasha felt himself staring at her, his eyes travelling over her body. He had told her she should have gone into modelling and he still thought so.

Kagome had always been fairly modest. She didn't like to show off her body like Kikyou but she didn't need too. Her clothes seemed to hug her curves no matter what and it made her stand out. Plus, her natural born innocence drew people to her. Inuyasha smirked. He was one of the few people who knew Kagome for what she really was. She was innocent all right, until someone pissed her off. Then she was a raging ball of fire, bent on revenge.

Her cheeks would become flushed and her azure eyes would light up, burning with passion. Not the kind of fiery passion that a couple shared, the kind that made most people cower in fear. It amazed him how her emotions would run so high. Her adrenaline allowed her to do amazing things when she was angry and it helped when she was in a fight. In all honesty, Inuyasha loved it when Kagome got angry.

'Of course, then her mouth opens and blows your head off.' Inuyasha chuckled. It caught Kagome's attention and she glared at him.

"What's so funny?"

"Bettsuni." Her eyebrows rose and she took a step towards him.

"You aren't laughing at me, are you?" Her voice became deep and Inuyasha shivered. She stood right in front of him and put her hand on his chest. She was looking straight into his eyes with an unreadable expression. Her deep blue orbs had become smoky and she pursed her lips. Inuyasha gulped.

"'Cause if you are, I may have to do something about it." His eyes widened as Kagome leaned into him. She brought her face in so close that they were now less than an inch apart Inuyasha felt her breasts flatten against his chest; her breath warmed his face and he licked his lips.

He wanted her. More than he had wanted anything in his entire existence. He prayed that she wasn't going to leave him hanging much longer; he didn't know how long he'd be able to keep his instincts in control. Inuyasha wanted to take her in his arms and never let her go, to satisfy a need that burned inside of him. His eyes widened at his sudden realisation.

'What's going on?' he thought, 'She's my best friend but... I want her more. Much more.' Inuyasha tried to shake the unfamiliar thoughts from his mind but they would not take heed to his commands. He was scared shitless. Scared that he was falling so hard and so fast. Didn't he break up with Kikyou, who had been his girlfriend for the last few years, just this morning? How could his emotions be changing so fast? As soon as he had found out Kikyou had cheated on him, Inuyasha had promised himself that he would not let another woman get under his skin. But Kagome had gone beyond his skin; she had invaded his very soul.

Kagome's lips were so close to his that Inuyasha had to resist the urge to close the gap between them. She had to make the first move. He suddenly become conscious of how much more afraid he was of rejection then actually falling. Inuyasha cringed at the thought of Kagome pulling back in repulsion after he kissed her. He didn't know how she would react but from the way she was acting now, he wasn't so sure she would protest.

"I may have to punish you, Inuyasha." Kagome whispered. She put her mouth up to his ear and blew into it. Shivers ran up and down his spine as Inuyasha tried to stay on his feet. Then she muttered three simple words.

"You...are...it."

It took Inuyasha a moment to comprehend what she meant. But in those few seconds, Kagome had managed to put a good twenty feet in between them. He slumped against the wall in frustration. His unsatisfied member pushed against his pants and he tried to relax. Kagome's bubbly laughter floated down the hall and Inuyasha let out a growl before running after her.

"Bitch, you are dead when I get my hands on you."

#-#-#

A piece of paper was placed on Sango's desk. She looked to the front of the room to make sure the professor hadn't seen anything. Kaede-sensei was pacing back and forth in front of the students, talking about some youkai legend. Youkai, hanyou, miko; they were all the same to Sango. She had been interested in the beginning because anything that had to do with ancient Japanese myths had fascinated her since she was a child. But lately she had been too worried about her friends to really listen to what Kaede-sensei was saying. Sango quietly picked up the note and opened it.

-Where are Inuyasha and Kagome?-

She looked over at Miroku and he raised his eyebrows in question. Sango took her pencil and wrote a message underneath his neat writing.

-I don't know. Didn't he take her to see the nurse?-

She passed the piece of paper back to him without the professor noticing. He read the note, scribbled down a response and returned it.

-Hai, demo it shouldn't take this long. Class is almost over... Maybe they want to be alone-

Sango read his message and had to stifle her laughter.

-Hentai! Is that all you think about?-

-Iie. I think about you.-

Sango stared at him in surprise. His cheeks were slightly pink but he still had a slight grin on his face. She raised an eyebrow at him and he looked down at his notebook, writing down some notes on what the professor had just said. The brunette blushed and her gaze went back to the piece of paper in front of her. Did he really mean that? He was always feeling her ass but then again, he did that to a lot of women. She decided to let it go for now and go back to Inuyasha and Kagome.

-Did you see the way he was holding her today?-

-Hai! Do you think he's finally figured out that she loves him?-

Sango shook her head in response.

-I doubt it. He's so thick headed. Demo...they looked like a real couple.-

-Hai, although I don't know if he's going to do anything soon. He was pretty upset about Kikyou cheating on him.-

-Bitch. I'm glad Kagome finally got her wish.-

-Wish?-

-Baka. Kicking her ass. And if Inuyasha gets all sulky, Kagome should comfort him.-

Miroku took one look at the note and his eyes lit up. He quickly scribbled something down and was about to pass it back to her when Kaede-sensei's voice floated up through the classroom.

"Houshi-san, aren't you a little old for passing notes?" He looked up to find the entire class looking at him. Many were giggling, while others held amusement in their eyes. Sango internally groaned. This was just what they needed; she just hoped that the elderly professor was not going to make them read the note. For Kagome's sake anyway.

"If that information is so important, Houshi-san, then you may share it with the class."

Shit.

Sango looked at Miroku, trying to make him understand her. She hoped that he had enough intelligence to make something up. She did not want the entire class to know what they had been talking about. Firstly, there was the part about calling Kikyou a bitch. People may start to think that Kagome had framed her and that was last the last thing Sango wanted. Kikyou had finally got what she deserved: a reality check. Secondly, there was that little comment Miroku had made... Sango still didn't know what to think of it, but if she did know that everybody in the room was going to start jumping to conclusions. Her eyes finally locked with his and he winked.

'Thank kami-sama,' she thought to herself, 'He figured it out.'

"It's nothing special, Kaede-sensei," Miroku drawled, "Just a love letter from Sango." Sango froze.

'Did he just say... love letter?!' He turned to look at her and grinned. 'That sneaky little bastard. I'm going to murder him!' Her train of thought was interrupted by whistles and laughter. She looked around and suddenly had the urge to dig a hole, because then she could bury herself in it and never come out. A few of the females were looking at her with envy, and Sango couldn't help but glare back.

'Okay so that was probably the most embarrassing thing he could have said but it's not like I'm the first one to do it.' Sango knew for a fact that Miroku's locker had at least five love letters put in it per day. And although she didn't show it, she was extremely jealous.

"You go girl!" someone called from across the room. Sango flushed a deep red and slunk into her seat.

'Yes, there's definitely going to be a dead body in the morning.' Her dark eyes were cast down. She could feel everyone looking at her and she couldn't understand why she wasn't pounding Miroku in at this very moment. And why wasn't she denying it either? She had just found her voice when Kaede-sensei spoke.

"Houshi-san, Taijya-san, please leave your romance at the door. It is much easier to teach when people are not gushing over each other."

"Demo—" Sango tried to explain but the professor just cut her off.

"I don't want to hear it Taijya-san. Would you care to be quiet and let me finish my lesson? And try to actually listen this time and not go off into daydreams about your boyfriend."

"Hai." The grey-haired women turned her focus back to her students and began talking again. Sango looked over at Miroku and glared. Rage and embarrassment coursed through her body and she could barely sit still. It took all of her will power to not stand up at that very moment, walk over to Miroku and beating the living shit out of him.

'Where the hell did he get the nerve to come up with that stupid idea?!' she thought, gripping her pencil. 'He couldn't have said 'to Sango'? That would have been more believable. Everyone knows what a huge player he is.' She stared over at the violet-eyed boy and felt something tug at her heart. The truth be told, Sango wished it really had been a love letter to her. Her feelings for this stupid playboy lay deep within her, hidden from the world. Kagome was the only one who had figured out why she beat him up all the time. That, and he was also the biggest pervert in the world. She wanted to let him know how she felt but it wasn't exactly easy for her.

Sango had never been able to build up the nerve to tell him. She had been through too much trouble as a child to ever really open up again. Sango's childhood had been cut short and was filled with nightmares that only Kagome knew of. She had never shared her painful memories with anyone else because she didn't want anyone's sympathy. She hadn't been as strong a person as most people had thought, crying herself to sleep each night. But the whole experience had taught her to never give up or lose hope. Now she was able to face whatever came her way.

**_FLASHBACK_**

"You slut! Can't you get anything right?!" Sango cringed as she listened to her father scream at her mother. Even with her door closed and her stereo on she could still hear them. It wasn't an unusual thing; her father was always coming home drunk and angry. Then, when her mother tried to make him a decent meal or talk to him, he would blow up in her face.

"I work hard all fucking day to provide for you and your dumbass kids and then you expect me to eat this shit you call food?" Sango heard her mother mutter an apology, her voice low and scared.

"Sorry isn't fucking good enough, bitch! You need to learn some fucking respect." Tears formed in Sango's eyes as she heard her mother cry out in pain and something crashed to the floor. She beat her fists on her desk and tried to control her emotions. A seventeen-year-old should not have to go through this. But Sango did, every damn day. She looked down at her homework and cursed. She had been sitting at her desk for over an hour and done nothing.

"What's the point?" she sighed aloud and pushed out her chair. Sango stood up, stretched and closed her textbook. She looked over at her bed and her heart clenched. Her younger brother, Kohaku, was fast asleep. His dark hair had come out of its tiny ponytail and a few tendrils lay across his face. More tears formed in her magenta eyes as she thought about the pain he was going through as well.

Kohaku always slept in her room whenever he heard their parents fighting. Most times he was already asleep when their father got home, so he didn't have to listen the insults he threw at their mother. However, he had been up late working on a school project when their father had come barging into the house, banging into the wall and yelling curses at the top of his lungs. Sango was surprised he hadn't woken up the neighbours. Kohaku was only twelve but he had always been more sensitive than other boys his age. So when Sango heard the timid knock at her door, she had not been surprised to find him in tears, clutching Kirara in his arms.

Kohaku had rescued the small cat from a dumpster almost a year ago. She had been on the verge of death when he found her shivering in the cold, but he had somehow been able to nurse her back to health. Kohaku had been especially taken with her right from the beginning. Firstly, she had the most unusual combination of markings Sango had ever seen. She was pale beige all over except for her ears and her paws, which were pure black. She also had a black spot in the middle of her forehead in the shape of a diamond. However, the thing that had caught Kohaku's eye was the fact she had two tails.

After taking her to the vet, the two siblings had found out she had been experimented on. The doctor had discovered traces of radioactive material in her blood and believed it to be the reason she had grown extra tail. Her tails each had two black stripes on them that match the rest of her markings. Kohaku had saved her and now she was returning the favour. Kirara was like a lifeline for the small boy and Sango was glad he had found something to occupy him when their parents fought.

The kitten was curled up against Kohaku's sleeping form but she was wide-awake. Her big, orange eyes were staring back at Sango, as if to question her mood. Sango sighed again and walked over to her. She sat down on the bed and the movement caused Kohaku to open his eyes slightly. The he yawned and rolled over to face the wall. Kirara got up and stretched herself before walking into Sango's lap. The brunette stroked her fur and the cat purred in content.

"You're lucky, Kirara." Sango said, "You don't have to worry about your parents arguing."

"Mew." Sango laughed.

"I know, I know, you have problems of your own. Although, I wished we could trade." She continued to run her fingers through Kirara's soft fur, listening to the sounds outside of her room. The shouting had stopped and now the only noise she could hear was her mother's sobs. Sango wanted to run to her mother and tell her everything would be alright, but she just didn't have the heart to. First of all, it would be a down right lie and secondly, well... Sango did not feel like getting beat up by her father...again.

Finally, after about fifteen minutes the sobs quieted and her mother went to bed. Sango yawned and figured she should do the same. She slowly stood up, earning a complaint from Kirara, and walked into her bathroom. She took her long coffee-coloured hair out of its high ponytail and brushed out the tangles. Then she brushed her teeth and slipped into her pyjamas. Taking one last look in the mirror, Sango turned out the light and went back into her room. Kohaku was curled into a ball on one side of her bed and so she was able to slide in beside him. She switched off the reading light on her bedside table and whispered a small goodnight to her brother before giving into the darkness.

#-#-#

The next day Sango got home later than usual. She had been given an extra shift at the restaurant that she worked at and any extra cash was helpful. Her father may claim to provide his family with everything they wanted but Sango was always paying for her own things. She didn't care though; it made her feel better to know that she had actually earned what she was buying. Plus, she wasn't about to ask her father for any money. She wasn't scared, she just didn't want him to take his anger out on her mother like he usually did.

Sango walked up towards the house and the first thing she noticed was that her father's car was in the driveway. She may have been a little late, but her father was never home this early. He usually got home in the middle of the night and on the weekend he sometimes didn't even bother to come home at all. He'd end up at one of his friend's house piss drunk and passed out on the couch. So when she saw his car it struck a nerve.

"That's odd." Sango murmured. She continued to stare at the car while pulling out her keys. She fumbled with the lock and opened the door. She stepped into the house and shut the door behind her. Then she took off her shoes and hung up her jacket. Sango walked into the kitchen, calling out to her family.

"Okaa-san? Kohaku? Anybody home?" She didn't see anyone so she continued into the living room and froze. Her heart skipped a beat and her breath became short and rapid. Red. There was red everywhere. It was on the walls and all over the floor. Sango's knees went out from under her and she leaned against the wall for support. Her hand flew to her mouth as a wave of nausea rippled through her body.

"Kami-sama, what happened?" She looked around and noticed a trail leading towards her parents' bedroom. She dropped her bag on the floor and took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She pushed against the wall and steadily found her balance. Then she slowly followed the trail and stopped in front of the door. Sango couldn't hear anything from inside and she started to shake. She turned the knob and the door opened with a creek. Light flooded into the room and it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dimness of the room. Sango's magenta eyes scanned the area and they locked onto a small figure in the middle of the floor.

"Kohaku?" she said, stepping across the doorway. She ran her hand along the wall and found the light switch. Light flooded the room and Sango gasped. Her mother was lying on her bed with a blank look on her face. Blood had soaked her pale blue nightgown. Her eyes were open but held no life and Sango let out a strangled cry before collapsing against the wall once again. There were slashes all over her mother's body. The largest one was across her chest; the fatal wound. But there were also small cuts along her arms showing signs of a struggle.

'She looks like a doll...' she thought numbly. Then her eyes moved to the bathroom and another wave of nausea flew over her. Blood was plastered along the wall in a fan shape, the colour seeping into the walls. Sango spotted a small hole in the middle of the fan and realisation swam through her.

'He's been shot... And she's been stabbed... Demo... Who would...' Her gaze flitted to the floor and her eyes widened. "Kohaku?" The small ball turned his head towards her. Tears were streaming down his face, his hands in his lap. But that's not what caught Sango's eye. He was holding a gun. The light ­­reflected off of its metallic surface and Sango crumpled to the ground.

"I-I..."

"Kohaku... Doushite?"

"I didn't mean to." He stuttered, tearing pouring down his face. His hands started to shake and the gun fell to the floor with a clatter. "He-he... killed Okaa-san!" Sango felt void of any emotion as she stared at her brother.

"N-n-nani?"

"They got into another f-fight a-and...and...he-he..." Kohaku's eyes squeezed together tightly and Sango felt the anguish in his voice. "He stabbed her with the kitchen knife. She tried to stop him but he was too strong." He began to shake violently and Sango made her way over to him. She put her arms around him and he completely broke down. His sobs wracked his entire body and Sango cried along with him. No matter how abusive her father was, she never meant for him to die. But it had just been too much for Kohaku.

Sango recognised the gun from her father's drawer and mentally cursed. She had told her father that he shouldn't leave it lying around but it had just ended with her getting hit across the face.

"I didn't mean too, I swear. But he hurt Okaa-san and he was going to hurt me because I saw him do it and...and..." Kohaku collapsed into sobs again and Sango held him tighter.

"It's alright, Kohaku," she said in a soothing voice. "It was an accident."

"Demo what's going to happen to us?"

"I don't know."

"Gomen." He cried into her now wet shirt, "Gomen, I didn't mean too. I swear..."

"Shhh..." Sango rocked her brother back and forth and eventually his breathing evened out. The stress and pain had tired him out and he finally fell asleep in her arms. Then, pushing all of the hurtful images out of her head, Sango lifted him up and put him in his room. Then she ran back to her parents' room and without looking at the bodies, picked up the gun. She went into a different bathroom and washed the shiny surface. The last thing she wanted was Kohaku going to jail. He may have killed someone but Sango wouldn't allow him to be taken away. She was careful not to touch the gun herself as she carried to back to the room. She had it wrapped in a towel so it wouldn't come in contact with her skin.

Sango tried not to vomit as she stepped back into the back room. The stench of blood and death consumed the entire room and she found it hard to breathe. She walked over to her father and placed the gun in his hand. Now it just looked like homicide and suicide, no more, no less. Sango put the towel over her mouth and ran from the room, tears running down her face.

'This can't be happening. This is just a bad dream and I'm going to wake up to Otou-san's yells any minute...' she wandered through the house in a daze until she got to her room. Then her eyes widened as the reality of the situation hit her hard and she ran into the bathroom. She collapsed near the toilet of her stomach heaved and her insides were emptied. She continued to convulse even after there was nothing left. It was just too much. She crawled into a ball and wrapped her arms around her trembling body. When she was finally able to get a hold of herself, Sango crawled to her phone and called the police.

**_END OF FLASHBACK_**

Sango cringed as the memories came flooding back. She thought that calling the police was the best thing to do but now she wished she hadn't. Because she hadn't technically been an adult, she wasn't able to be Kohaku's legal guardian. He had been taken away and put in the care of foster parents. She had begged and pleaded with the social worker to let Kohaku come and live with her and the woman assured her that if she turned nineteen and still had a job, Kohaku would be returned to her care.

So Sango had worked every extra shift she could get her hands on. She even applied for jobs at different places just to make sure she had at least one when she turned nineteen. She was lucky that her parents had paid off the mortgage on the house because she didn't think she could have been able to do it herself. The electrical and water bills were expensive by themselves. As soon as she had turned nineteen, Sango had quit her extra jobs, happy to rid of all the extra work. She had raced over to the social worker's office and demanded that her brother be returned to her. But the woman had just shaken her head.

"I'm very sorry Taijya-san, but we haven't been able to contact your brother for sometime. I think his new family moved out of the country." Sango had only stared at the woman in disbelief before screaming at her.

"Nani?! You promised that if I turned nineteen and had a steady job that I would become his legal guardian! You get your fucking ass in gear and find my brother. I have gone through too much to be stopped now!"

"I'm sorry Taijya-san but there's nothing I can do." Sango had pleaded with her, telling her that she would do anything to get Kohaku back but the social worker still refused to help her. The brunette had then run from the building in tears. The pain had been too much and she needed help. So she called up Kagome and asked if she could come over for a while. Kagome had been worried about Sango ever since her parents had died and so when Sango had shown up on her doorstep in tears, Kagome had hustled her into the house and allowed her to cry as much as she wanted. Sango then told her what had really happened and how she was going to do everything in her power to get Kohaku back.

Sango had not seen her brother since.

Sango felt a tear form in her eye as she tried to concentrate on what Kaede-sensei was saying. It had been over three years since she had stormed out of the social worker's office but the pain was still fresh. She missed him so much and had never given up trying to find him but it was almost as if he didn't want to be found. She sighed and put her head on her elbows. She wouldn't give up though; Sango knew that no matter what happened, she was not going to give up.

She stole a glance over at Miroku and found him looking at her. She raised an eyebrow in question and he put his finger to his mouth. Then he quickly looked at the professor to make sure she didn't see him and passed the note back to her.

-We should get them together. Their ignorance is starting to piss me off.

You aren't mad at me about the whole love letter thing are you?-

Sango decided not to answer for two reasons. One, she didn't want to get caught by Kaede-sensei and cause another scene and two, she figured Miroku would go insane if she didn't answer him right away.

'Let him wait,' she thought to herself. 'He's the one who started this whole mess, but I'm gong to be the one to finish it.' She deliberately folded the piece of paper in plain view and put it in her notebook. She wanted to keep it so she could blackmail him later. She felt his eyes on her but didn't look at him. She had to try not to laugh as she stared at the front of the room. There was still twenty minutes left in class and she doubted he was going to last for long.

'Let him suffer.' She pretended to take notes and heard Miroku shuffle in his seat. Sango bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. She looked up at the clock and smiled. The next twenty minutes were not going to go fast enough for the violet-eyed male and she was going to love every minute of it.

#-#-#

Otou-san - father

A/N wel, how wus dat? Very long is wut comes 2 mind lol. Wow dis chap is longer den da last 1! Hope u uys r grateful lol. Wel I didn't get da 200 reviews but I knew I wouldn't neways. ARIGATOU 2 all of u who reviewed, means a lot and I promise I won't blackmail u ne more lol. I still got over 130 so dats kewl. Now I'm sry 2 say dat I wont b updating 4 a while #ducks bombardment of shape objects being thrown at her# GOMEN-NASAI!!! Its just dat I wann redo my earlier chapters. I've grown a lot during da writing of dis fic and I feel my writing has gotten better so I wanna go back and add to the 1s at da beginning. Dey're gonna b a WHOLE lot better so check dem out! I'm not sure if u get author alert thingies if chaps r replaced but I'll put up a quick authors note after I finish dem k? shouldn't take dat long. I mainly wanna put dem in2 3rd person instead of 1st cuz I think dat is more 'book like' and I want 2 turn dis in2 a book eventually. Da characters wil change of course but da story line will stil b da same. So yeah, u won't b getting a new chap 4 a whie but I've planned out da next 3 chaps so as soon as I'm dun with da old 1s, u'll get a new 1 k? hope u like dis chap! Ja ne. (wow really long author's note lol)

--Sereia


	15. Revelation

well, hello everybody! #crickets# uh...heh heh heh...well, I uh...i'm back! #more crickets# aw man! All my reviewers have run away... #is suddenly bombarded with sharp objects and rotten fruit# ah...there you are! I know you guys have been waiting for a while so I decided 2 make a new chap lol. This has actually been dun for over a week but something happened when I sent it 2 one of my editors and she never got it. So yeah I had to send it again and now it's done and you can read it! I'm still working on my beginning chaps (5/9 done) so hopefully those will be out soon. You don't have to reread them when I put them out but there is a lot of extra stuff in them so check 'em out if you want.

-#-Remember at the beginning of my story I said any flames would be ridiculed? Wel that's what this is for. I got 2 flames (from the same person) on my story so I'm going to be commenting on those and only replying to the ppl w/ REALLY longs reviews. Sry if I don't do that for every body but I just don't have time lol. If you guys have major questions you want answered email me or tel me in your review (which you'll b doing at the end of this chap rite?) K, these 'reviews' are from viper0z1:

"...try making it more original less cliche and in college a proffesor wouldn't call you out for not paying attention they probably wouldn't even know your name in fact one of my proffersors makes it his goal to not know his students names so he dosen't grade unfairly plus people in college wouldn't laugh at something that stupid..."

---less cliché? Give me a break! I don't think I could get any more original. Everything is something I created except for the characters. And about the college thing. It all depends on what college you go to. I am not basing my story on your school.

"...you might want to tone down the needles violence in your story i don't know about you but where i'm from you can't go aruond punching people they sue for that t seems like your charactors use violence to solve all theirs problems and thats not how it works in the real world the way your charectors figh for stupid things all the time seems imature and unrealistic it also undermines your storys plot maybe lots of people like it for the violence but thier probabaly stupid small minded people who use their fist to solve all their problems smart people use words stupid people think they always have to use their fist to make a piot so by coditioning your charectors that way it's says alot about you as the author..." ---okay how many times do I have people fighting? No more then five and have you read any other fics? Way more violent then mine. And how are my characters unrealistic? As far as I know, ppl act like that everyday and even if they don't, it's called FICTION!!! Also, I don't need you to insult the people who read my story. They read it for entertainment. I don't think there are many movies or shows w/out violence. It's just what ppl want. It doesn't mean they are stupid and small minded. I think you should rethink what you're going to say in your reviews before submitting them because I did find these very offensive. If you don't like my fic then don't read it! I have a certain style of writing and I'm not going to change. 

**LadyKaa** u wrote me a really long review so I hafta comment lol. I am going to be doing something similar to fluffy playing matchmaker lol. I know how funy it sounds but I have come up with the perfect plan mwahahaha.

**Kim** I'm not sure if Sango's gong to find Kohaku in this story. If not then definitely in the sequel lol. And yeah I hope my story doesn't get kicked off to. If it dos I'll just move it to adultfiction or something

**Ish** wuts the point of replying to you if you don't read it? Lol I replied at the beginning of the last chap that I am a GIRL. FEMALE FEMALE FEMALE!!! Is that obvious enough? Lol

**ArchAngel**** Of Fire ** onegai please, yogatta thank goodness, daijoubi you okay / what's wrong, shimatta damn/shit, sugoi wow, doushite why, bettsuni nothing/nevermind...sry, I like to add Japanese words into my fics.

**hanyou007** your reviews make me laugh out loud every time I read them! So funny! I can't wait for your next chap!

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Disclaimer:** no I don't own Inuyasha, but someday when I'm rich I'm going to buy him on E-bay and then I will own him mwahahahaha

**_Chapter Fourteen_**

**_Revelation_**

Kagome smiled as she took a sip of water. Inuyasha was sulking on the couch and it was the cutest thing she had ever seen. His legs were crossed with his elbows resting on his knees. His lips were pursed together and his eyebrows were knitted together in a pout. She tried to contain a giggle as he continued to glare at the ground.

"Come on Inuyasha. It's not like we bet money on it or anything. It was just a friendly race." Inuyasha glared at her and she could not contain her laughter anymore. Giggles erupted from her mouth as she clutched her stomach.

"Shut up Kagome." Inuyasha grumbled, but Kagome just laughed harder. She had been the one to reach the dorm room first and had been inside before he had even come into view. Kagome had then quickly closed and locked the door behind her, which caused Inuyasha to start banging on it when he caught up. Kagome had just laughed from the other side as she pocketed the spare key Inuyasha had given her at the beginning of the year. She had eventually let him in and now he was all upset about it.

"I'm sorry about locking you out Inuyasha, demo I just couldn't resist." She laughed again before sitting down beside him. She put her water bottle on the small wooden coffee table and watched as he extended his legs in a huff. She could not help but wonder if he had lost a lot of weight while he was in a coma. She figured that he had since he had not eaten anything. The IV Anne had hooked up to him had provided Inuyasha's body with nutrients, but it was just the bare minimum. He needed real food and as far as she knew, he had not had any this morning.

"Do you want me to make you something?" she asked, turning to face him. Inuyasha had crossed his arms over his chest, a glare still evident on his handsome face.

"Is that payback for locking me outside?" he asked, his lips curling up into a smile. He looked at her, amusement dancing in his golden orbs and Kagome felt like she was drowning. They sat in silence for a moment, staring at each other, not moving an inch.

'I wish you knew how much I care about you Inuyasha.' Kagome thought to herself as his eyes continued to look into hers. 'I wish I could tell you...demo...I don't think this is the right time. You're still broken up over Kikyou and I don't want to cause you any more pain.' Kagome broke their gaze but managed to smile none the less.

"Iie, I just noticed you didn't have anything to eat this morning." A small blush crept across Inuyasha's cheeks and Kagome's smile became real.

"I was too busy getting ready," he mumbled.

"And giving me a fashion show of your favourite boxers?" He scowled at her and she laughed again. Kagome reached out and took another swig of her water before getting up and heading towards the kitchen. She opened a few cupboards and before long she had found what she was looking for.

"Pancakes sound okay?" she asked. She was in the mood for some herself and decided that it was the easiest thing to make. Inuyasha nodded his head before getting up and walking towards her. He sat down on one of the tall stools positioned at the large island in the middle of the kitchen. Kagome opened the fridge and took out a couple of eggs and placing them on the counter next to the rest of her ingredients. Now all she needed was the flour.

"Ne, Inuyasha?"

"Hai?"

"Where's the flour?"

"We should have some on the top shelf over there," he said, pointing to one of the cupboards. Kagome opened it up and had to take a step back in order to see where the flour was. It was indeed on the top shelf and she inwardly groaned.

'You men and your inconvenient height. Why couldn't you put it on one of the lower shelves?' she thought, shaking her head. Kagome went up on her tiptoes and tried to reach the container of flour. The tips of her fingers touched the edge of the plastic container and she lifted it up a little, trying to pull it out. It shifted about an inch. Kagome grumbled and Inuyasha looked up at her.

"You need some help?" he asked, a smirk forming across his lips. Kagome did not look at him and pushed herself up a little on the counter.

"Iie. I am quite capable of getting it myself." She pushed at the container again and it shifted another inch. She heard Inuyasha push out his stool and come up behind her.

"Are you sure? You don't seem to quite _measure_ up to this job," he said with a chuckle. Kagome was tempted to turn around and hit him but she kept her cool and pushed at the flour again. It finally moved enough for her to grab it but she was not quick enough. The flour had clumped on one side of the container and it tipped over the edge. Kagome let out a small scream and ducked as the container fell towards her. Then she heard _bonk_, _whoosh _and Inuyasha cursing.

"You wench! Why don't you watch what you're doing?" Kagome opened her eyes and slowly turned around. She took one look at Inuyasha and burst out laughing. The top of the container had obviously fallen off because he was now covered in flour. His shiny silver hair was a bland, off white colour along with his clothes. Her laughter flowed through the room as Inuyasha continued to glare at her.

"G-gomen! I guess I wasn't up for the job." Kagome choked out between giggles. Inuyasha shook his head and flour floated to the floor.

"Oi Inuyasha. It snows enough outside," she said in a mock serious tone. "We don't need any in here." Inuyasha continued to glare at her as he walked towards the counter. His hand reached out and before Kagome could move, she was covered in baking soda.

"You're one to talk," he smirked.

"Ooh, you're so dead Inuyasha!" Kagome growled as he stepped back from the island. She used that extra second to pick up an egg and throw it at him. The bright yellow yoke ran down his face and Kagome started laughing again. She picked up the other one and was about to throw it when Inuyasha caught her wrist and poured the cup of milk she had retrieved from the fridge on her head.

"Good luck getting that out of your hair Kagome." Inuyasha said laughing. Kagome's eyes sparkled and she quickly tossed the egg into her other hand. Inuyasha was not fast enough and she crushed it on his head.

"I could say the same with you." Her eyes shone with amusement and they stared at each other. Then they smiled and Inuyasha let go of her wrist, shaking his head. Kagome immediately smirked and spun around. She grabbed the mini hose that was attached to the sink and aimed it at him.

"I think I should help you get that gunk out of your hair, Inuyasha."

"Don't you d—" Inuyasha's mouth filled with water before he was able to finish his sentence. Kagome sprayed his entire face, making the flour turn into a paste-like substance. She watched as he tried to shield himself from the attack but it was no use. Soon his whole upper body was soaked, as well as half the kitchen. When she finally took her hand off the trigger, Kagome was laughing so hard, tears were streaming down her face. Inuyasha tied to glare at her but soon he was laughing as well.

After about five minutes, when they were able to catch their breath, Kagome looked around the kitchen and sighed. It was a complete mess. Flour and baking soda covered the floor and there was a puddle of milk where she had been standing mixed in with the water that was everywhere.

"Guess pancakes are out, ne?" she said and Inuyasha chuckled.

"Guess so," he looked around the kitchen and shook his head. "Listen, why don't you go take a shower and I'll clean up this mess."

"Hontouni?"

"Hai."

"Arigatou, Inuyasha. I'll make you something when I'm done cleaning up." Kagome said as she walked towards her backpack. She pulled out a navy blue turtleneck and a pair of black pants and shook them out. Then she flashed Inuyasha a small smile of gratitude and started towards his bathroom. Inuyasha was suddenly disappointed.

'She had an extra set of clothing with her?' he thought to himself. 'To bad, I was looking forward to seeing her in my clothes.' A slight blush appeared on Inuyasha's cheeks and he shook his head to rid himself of the erotic thought. Then he smiled at her retreating form and looked back at the kitchen. A sigh escaped his lips and he ran a hand over his face. This was going to take a while.

#-#-#

It didn't take long for Kagome to wash the pancakes ingredients out of her hair, but she was still standing in the shower twenty minutes later. It was a relief just to let the warm water run over her body. Plus the fact that she was surrounded by the scent of Inuyasha eased her mind.

He had a distinct smell that always reminded her of a forest. It was not just one particular smell, more like a mixture of the entire thing. And she had finally been able to create it. It would never compare to the real Inuyasha but it was a start. She had used his shampoo and soap to clean her body and now she was just relaxing in the shower. Beads of water fell over her pale skin and dark hair. Steam rose around her and with a sigh she finally turned the water off.

Stepping out of the tub, Kagome grabbed a towel off the small wrack that hung on the adjacent wall. Wringing the excess water out of her hair, she wrapped the towel around her head in a turban-like fashion. Then she grabbed another towel and began drying herself off. The material was soft against her skin and Kagome took her time in getting rid of the extra moisture on her body.

When she was finished, she quickly put on her clean clothes. She did not know why she had packed an extra set of clothing but she was sure glad she did. Then she looked in the mirror to see nothing but a blur. The steam had fogged up the mirror so Kagome took liberty of one of the washcloths and wiped the mirror clean. A lovely clean face stared back at her and she took the towel out of her hair. It was still damp but the ends were dry so she was not worried about getting her clothes wet.

She hung up the towel next the other one she used and then grabbed a brush for her hair. She swept all of her hair back and out of her face before searching for her elastic. She found on the floor underneath the bathroom sink. Deciding that her hair would dry faster if she left it down, Kagome put the elastic on her wrist and picked up the brush again. She brushed her hair back again and used her finger to bring her bangs forward. Then she brushed them to the side so they wouldn't be in her face.

Kagome pulled the hair out of the brush and threw it in the garbage before putting the brush back in its place. She quickly checked herself in the mirror and smiled. She preferred not wearing makeup because it made her feel artificial. But that was probably only because she had lived with Kikyou. She had to have been the makeup queen; Kagome could not remember a time when she had not found her cousin's makeup lying around the house.

Kagome was content with a little mascara and lip-gloss. She only went all out when she and Sango went out to a club or something. It was fun once in a while and Kagome enjoyed getting all decked out every now and then. Sango had some real wild colours like hot pink when it came to eyeshadow and the two of them would spend at least an hour getting ready for a party. Kagome laughed at the memories before opening the door and stepping out of the bathroom.

She walked through Inuyasha's room and into the kitchen. Her mouth dropped open at the sight before her. The kitchen was spotless, maybe cleaner than it had been before the flour fiasco. She looked around to find Inuyasha sitting on the couch with a newspaper in his hand. His silver hair glistened in the light, still damp from his shower.

"I had to use Miroku's bathroom since you were taking so long," he said not looking up. Kagome shrugged her shoulders and walked over to the washing machine. It was already humming with Inuyasha's clothes so Kagome quickly opened the lid, stuck her clothes in and shut it again. Then she went back to the couch and sat down beside him.

"It's not my fault I had to wash baking soda and milk out of my hair," she said with a smile. Inuyasha folded his newspaper and put it down on the coffee table in front of him. He turned to him with a smirk on his face.

"And the water-flour paste that was in mine doesn't count as anything?"

"Of course not. The flour was an accident."

"But the water wasn't."

"Nope, the water was payback." Amusement lit up Kagome's azure orbs and Inuyasha could not help but laugh. He poked her in the side and she smiled at him. Then she took his hands in hers and her face became serious. Kagome looked into Inuyasha's eyes and took a deep breath.

"Are you alright Inuyasha?"

"Hai, it only took a couple of washes before the flour came out and—"

"That's not what I meant, Inuyasha." Kagome said, cutting him off. Inuyasha sighed and turned his head to the side, breaking their eye contact. Kagome clasped his hands even tighter as he sighed.

"I know," he whispered. Inuyasha closed his eyes for a moment and Kagome looked at their hands. She did not want to press the matter but she needed to know if he was still in love with Kikyou.

"I wasn't at first but I am now." Inuyasha said, looking back at her. He let go of one of her hands and Kagome thought he was going to get up and leave. But he did not even move. He hooked one of his fingers underneath her chin and brought her gaze up to his level. His golden orbs bore into hers and again, Kagome felt like she was drowning.

"Arigatou." Kagome barely comprehended what he had said.

"N-nani?"

"Arigatou for taking care of me when I was in the hospital," he said, "And for today. I won't admit it to anyone else but I don't think I would have had the guts to do what you did to Kikyou."

"She had it coming." Her eyes glazed over and before Inuyasha could ask what she meant, Kagome stood up. She walked towards the kitchen and then turned around with a smile plastered on her face.

"How do sandwiches sound?" she asked. Inuyasha shook his head and chuckled.

"Less messy," he said. Kagome's smile became genuine and she giggled.

"Yes, well, I'd have to agree with you there," she said, turning towards the refrigerator. She opened the door and looked around. There was not a lot but there was enough to make lunch with.

"Oi, Inuyasha. What do you want on your—" Kagome was interrupted by a loud knock at the door. She looked quizzically at Inuyasha. "Expecting anybody?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "No one that would knock first." He got up from the couch and went to answer the door as Kagome closed the fridge. She figured it was someone from the main office wondering why they had not been in school that day, but dismissed the idea quickly.

First of all, the word about her fight with Kikyou would have spread throughout the entire school by now and second, no one could have known that they came back to Inuyasha's dorm. Kagome stepped around the island counter and leaned against it as Inuyasha opened the door. Her eyes widened as two police officers stepped into the room. They were in uniform and Inuyasha had to take a step back so as not to crowd them.

It was a man and a woman. The man stood about a foot taller than the woman but was no more serious about the task at hand. Both had dark brown hair but while the man had eyes to match, the woman had startling blue ones. They almost reminded Kagome of Kouga but hers were smokier and not such a brilliant colour.

"Are you Inuyasha Tetsusaiga?" the taller officer asked. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, but nodded all the same.

"Yeah, what of it?" he asked.

"We're from the Tokyo Police Department. We'd like to ask you a few questions about Hojou Okonosata." Kagome let out a small gasp and both of the officers turned to look at her, suddenly aware of her presence. The woman raised an eyebrow and took a quick look at her small clipboard.

"Kagome...Higurashi?" she asked. Kagome nodded slowly and the woman wrote something down. "Good, now we won't have to go searching for you as well. Please take a seat." She motioned to the couch and Kagome took her place beside Inuyasha. The two officers each pulled up a chair and sat down across from the couple.

"Now please tell us, in your own words, what happened on the evening of December 7th of 2003?"

#-#-#

"Those skippers." Sango grumbled as she put her supplies into her backpack. Inuyasha and Kagome had never turned up for class and Sango figured that they had gone back to the dorms. She knew they needed the day off after what had happened with Kikyou in the hall earlier that morning so she was not surprised that they had never shown up. She just wanted to know if they were all right.

Sango slung her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the classroom, not bothering to wait for Miroku. He had caused enough trouble with the whole lover letter disaster and she was not about to talk to him until he begged for forgiveness. Sango's eyes wandered down the hall and she caught sight of a raven-haired woman. Sango raised an eyebrow and continued towards her.

Sango could see the look of rage on her face as the woman talked to her friends. She was not being subtle about her conversation as her arms were waving about in the air. Sango had to try not to laugh as she passed the small group of woman. She didn't really have anything to say to the girl but evidently the female had something to say to Sango.

"You're a bitch just like Kagome," she spat out. Sango slowly turned around and looked at her.

"You're one to talk, Kikyou. It must run in the family. Although I have to say, Kagome's a much better looking bitch than you. You must have got the mutated genes." A few people snickered around them and Sango flashed Kikyou a dazzling smile. It was met with a death glare and Sango had to try even harder not to laugh. She just shrugged her shoulders and continued on her way. Sango could feel Kikyou's eyes piercing her back but she kept going. This was a fight between cousins and as much as she wanted to smash Kikyou's face in, she was not about to take that privilege away from Kagome.

#-#-#

"So you woke up shortly after Higurashi-san was attacked?"

"Hai. I woke up to find her on the floor with Okonosata standing over her." Inuyasha replied. The interrogation had been going on for over an hour and Inuyasha still had not figured out the point of it. Okonosata was in jail, so why were he and Kagome being asked so many questions? The female officer turned to Kagome and Inuyasha could not help but notice how clenched Kagome's hands were. They were folded neatly in her lap but her knuckles were stark white.

"Higurashi-san, did you do anything to provoke Okonosata-san?"

"You mean besides breathing?" Kagome whispered, her voice drenched in sarcasm. Inuyasha reached over and touched Kagome's hand. She jumped a little and stared up at him. He shook his head and Kagome sighed.

"Hojou has always had a very violent nature," she said, "He beat me frequently when we were in high school and I don't think he ever really got over our...ah...break-up." Her voice was strained and Inuyasha wanted to _break_ the officer for bringing up such painful memories. His hand was still on top of Kagome's and he laced her fingers with his. She looked up at him again and a small but grateful smile shone through her features.

"In high school? Were you romantically involved with Okonosata-san when you were in high school Higurashi-san?" Inuyasha let out a low growl but Kagome answered first.

"I wouldn't say romantically. It was more of a sympathy relationship on my part but we were involved, yes." The officer nodded and wrote something down on her clipboard. Inuyasha noticed that she had been doing that a lot.

"Is there a point to this?" Inuyasha asked, becoming impatient. The male officer gave him a dirty look but didn't say anything. The female officer's eyebrow rose and she looked at Inuyasha.

"There's a point to everything, Tetsusaiga-san," she replied. "We cannot lock up anybody without proof and—" Inuyasha jumped to his feet and glared at the officer.

"Proof? You want fucking proof?! Look at the bruises on her body! Look at the fucking stab wounds! You think those just appeared out of nowhere?!" Inuyasha was seething with anger. How dare that bitch say she didn't have proof!

"Inuyasha, sit." Inuyasha stared down at Kagome and was about to protest when she looked at him. Her face was so full of pain that he had no choice but to comply. He internally smacked himself for getting so carried away, but he was not about to let this stupid policewoman push them around like this.

"I have seen Higurashi-san's medical files, Tetsusaiga-san," the woman replied, as if nothing had happened, "And I know what they contain. Demo, this is all part of protocol. It is something required for every case and it will go over much better if you were more co-operative. Inuyasha reluctantly nodded his head.

"Now Higurashi-san, if it is not too much trouble, could you please tell me about this _break-up_ you spoke of."

#-#-#

"Oi Sango!" Miroku fought to catch up to the coffee-haired woman but Shikon no Tama's hallways were proving it a difficult task. Everyone had finished their first class and the hallways were now full. Miroku pushed his way through the stampede of people walking in the opposite direction in attempt to get to Sango.

"Oi Sango, matte!" he called but Sango refused to acknowledge him. He cursed himself for the stupid love-letter stunt he pulled, but it had been a spur of the moment thing. He had hoped Sango would not think much of it but when she had not replied to his note he had become worried. He finally made it to Sango's side only to have her ignore him completely.

"Oi, come on Sango. It was just a joke," he said, laughing a little, "Can't you forgive me?" Sango still did not say anything and Miroku sighed. This was going to harder than he thought. It was just a harmless joke right? Miroku sighed and looked at Sango. She only looked a little bit smaller than him, but that was because she had her hair up in a high ponytail. It gave the illusion that she was taller than she actually was.

Miroku was in fact a whole six inches taller than Sango, but she would not have admitted it if she had been asked. Miroku knew that Sango was in some ways very insecure and she tried to hide it by acting tougher than she really was. It was mostly to hide the pain of losing her younger brother, Kohaku, and Miroku had tried many times to get her to talk about it but she refused.

He cast a sideways glance at the woman next to him. She was looking straight ahead, her eyes unfocused as they walked through the hallways. He sighed again and looked at the ground, trying to think of some way to apologise properly.

"Ne, Sango," he said quietly, "Gomen for the ah...love letter stunt today. Demo, I didn't think you wanted Kaede-sensei to read what we were actually talking about. Inuyasha and Kagome would probably massacre us if they found out..." He trailed off into an awkward laugh but Sango still did not say anything. Miroku groaned inwardly and wondered if he was going to have to get down on his hands and knees in order to get Sango to talk to him again.

He was actually surprised at how mad she was. She usually got more upset when he felt her up; that always ended with him on the floor with stars in his eyes. Miroku just could not help himself. He had loved Sango ever since he laid eyes on her and the face she made when he touched her ass was priceless. It was the cutest thing he had ever seen; her face would become red and then her eyes would open really wide. Of course, she would then launch him across the room, but he lived for that moment.

Miroku loved Sango's eyes. Hell, he loved everything about her but her eyes stood out. They were such an odd colour of pink and he had not seen anyone else whose eyes had come close. Her eyes were a bright and yet mysterious magenta that reflected her emotions even when she was doing her best to hide them.

'Too bad I never get more than a few seconds to look into them before she pounds me.' Miroku thought with a sigh. He's give anything to be able to hold Sango in his arms and have her realise just how much he cared about her. He acted like a jerk around her most of the time but that was just to get her attention. He wondered if she noticed how much more attention that he gave her.

"Oi Sango, what do I have to do to make you speak to me again?" The sadness in his voice was evident and Miroku did not try to conceal it. Sango blinked a few times and then turn to look at him. Success! She had forgiven him!

"Gomen, did you say something?" Miroku almost did a face plant into the floor.

"Haven't you been listening to anything I've said?!" Miroku demanded.

"Ah, gomen gomen. I was thinking about something else." Sango gave him a sheepish look and Miroku hung his head.

'Why did I even bother apologising?'

#-#-#

"Stupid officer." Inuyasha muttered under his breath as he closed the door. The bitch had been questioning them for over an hour and he still did not understand the point of it. All it did was upset Kagome and infuriate him. Hojou Okonosata was an ass who deserved to be behind bars even if there was not any solid proof. Inuyasha clenched his fist and his nails dug into his skin. His whole body shook with anger and he forced himself not to make a hole in the door with his fist.

A small sniff came from the couch and Inuyasha turned around to look at Kagome. Her hands were clamped together in her lap and her head was bent over so her bangs covered her eyes. Inuyasha's anger evaporated as he starred at the raven-haired woman. Why couldn't everyone just leave her alone? Why did they have to keep bringing up such painful memories?

Inuyasha walked over to the couch and sat down beside her. She jumped a little at his presence and stared up at him. Her eyes were rimmed with unshed tears and Inuyasha shook his head before gathering her into his arms. Kagome hug onto his shirt and started to sob. Inuyasha drew circles on her back and whispered in her ear to try and calm her down.

"Shhh, daijobou Kagome. Daijobou. He's gone. He can't ever hurt you again."

"How can you know that for sure?" She said, looking up at him. Inuyasha smiled gently and kissed her head.

"Because I'm here." It was a simple but powerful statement. Kagome did not say anything, but she lowered her head to his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist. Inuyasha inhaled her scent and almost went insane. Her natural strawberry scent was mixed in with the scent of his shampoo. He ran his fingers through her hair and Kagome let out a sigh.

"Ano...Inuyasha?"

"Hai?"

"Will you always be here? With me I mean."

"Hai, I promise." Inuyasha felt her smile against his shoulder and he kissed her temple. She sat back and looked into his eyes.

"Hontou?"

"Hai." Inuyasha caressed her cheek and she blushed. Her skin was smooth to the touch and Inuyasha held back a shiver. He had to control himself because if he did not, they were both going to need another shower. Kagome lay down and put her head in his lap. Inuyasha stroked her hair and she sighed.

"I don't know about you, but I've lost my appetite," she said. Inuyasha chuckled and nodded.

"I agree."

#-#-#

Kagome sighed in content as she lay on Inuyasha's lap. He was gently stroking her hair and it was very soothing. After all the questions the female officer had asked them, Kagome had been ready to jump out the window. Every bad memory about Hojou had flooded back into her mind and it had been terribly draining. Kagome knew it had been necessary, but it felt like the woman had stripped away every protective layer Kagome had built around herself.

Inuyasha had been ready to strip a layer off the officer and probably would have if Kagome had not stopped him. However, Kagome knew it had not been the dog-like command that had stopped Inuyasha from ripping out the woman's vocal cords. Kagome had been in such emotional pain that it must have shown through her eyes because as soon as Inuyasha had looked her, he had sat down.

Inuyasha was still running his fingers through her hair and Kagome shivered. Did he even know what he was doing to her? His subtle touching was sending electricity down her spine and it took all of Kagome's will power not to sit up and kiss him. And she really wanted to. Kagome closed her eyes and inhaled Inuyasha's scent. It was a little different from before but just as enticing.

Kagome figured it was because he had used Miroku's shampoo instead of his own. It was a little mustier but his scent mixed with hers and swirled around her. Kagome could not get over how good he smelled. She had read somewhere that women were the ones who always smelled nice but she begged to differ. She never used perfume, it just another thing that made her feel artificial, but she had a special soap that smelled like strawberries that she used every time she had a shower.

With the exception of today, of course.

She wished she never had to leave that bathroom. Or that someone had joined her. Kagome had had many fantasies about her and Inuyasha, all of which ended with them getting a serious workout. She had tried to stop thinking about them, but his essence filled her very soul every time she saw him. She was so madly in love with him that it hurt. It hurt that she could not have him and it hurt that he did not want her in that way. She would always be the best friend, never the girlfriend. Kagome absently pushed down a crease in Inuyasha's pants and he shuttered.

Kagome sat up and looked up at the man beside her. A faint blush had spilled across his cheeks and Kagome raised an eyebrow. Inuyasha was not looking at her, his gaze fixed on the small table in front of them. She swung her feet around and stood up. Deciding that she needed to take her mind off things, Kagome slowly walked over to the kitchen area and took some bread out of the freezer.

"What do you want on your sandwich Inuyasha?" she asked, going back to what she had been doing before the officers had knocked at the door. "I think you have some ham and cheese. I'm going to have mayonnaise on mine—"

"Sound good," he said, still not meeting her gaze. Kagome shrugged her shoulders and started getting every thing she needed out of the fridge. She put six pieces of bread in the microwave, assuming Inuyasha would eat two whole sandwiches. Kagome knew he had a high metabolism and there was not an ounce of fat contributing to his weight; it was pure muscle and Kagome longed to run her hands over them.

The microwave sounded with a loud beep and she took the bread out and put it on a cutting board she had found in one of the cupboards. She was in the middle of making the last sandwich when Inuyasha stood up from the couch and walked over to her. Kagome pretended not to notice as he sat down on one of the stools across from her. She finished the last sandwich and stacked them on top of each other before cutting them in half.

Kagome passed the plate over to Inuyasha and he took two pieces and took a bite. Kagome then took one for herself and stuck it in her mouth as she busied herself with cleaning up. She put the utensils she had used in the small dishwasher along with the cutting board. Then she went to the fridge and pulled out a carton of purified water. She poured them each a glass and set them down on the island. Inuyasha nodded and brought the glass to his lips.

Kagome swallowed hard as she watched his throat muscles work. Her hands became clammy and her stomach tightened at the slow movement. She tried to tear her gaze away from him but her eyes refused to listen to her. He finished the glass and put it back on the counter. His eyes met her and she finally looked away, heat rushing to her face.

'Damn you Inuyasha.' Kagome mentally cursed, her cheeks a bright red, 'Why do you have to be so damn attractive?' She nibbled on her half sandwich, trying to look normal. Her eyes closed for a moment as she tried to calm her racing heart. It was beating at a mile a minute, like it always did when she was with Inuyasha, and her breath had become raged.

Kagome took a deep breath to calm her nerves and finished off her sandwich. She turned to grab another piece to find Inuyasha staring at her. His expression was unreadable and Kagome shivered. His golden gaze penetrated her soul and Kagome found it hard to breathe again. He had finished eating and his head was resting on his hand. It was like he was looking her over, and unlike the looks she had received from other men, Inuyasha's did not feel...well...repulsive.

Kagome had always felt like she was a doll on display when her male classmates gave her appreciative gazes during school. It didn't feel right, mostly because she knew what was on their minds. She could tell by the way that they looked at her that they were mentally undressing her. But with Inuyasha it was different.

Kagome did not know what was on his mind. Many a time she could read his emotions very easily but there were a few instances, now being one of them, when she did not know what to think. Hell, if he was mentally undressing her, she was not about to protest. She had done it many times with him and figured it was only fair if he did it to her. Kagome shivered at the thought.

"Ne, Kagome?" She was shaken out of her delicious reverie by Inuyasha's smooth voice.

"Ah...hai?" Inuyasha squirmed on his chair and Kagome could not help but notice that his face was a little red.

"Ano...has anyone...I mean...well..." Inuyasha's eyes darted all over the place looking at everyone and anything but her.

"Has anyone what?" His face became redder.

"Has anyone asked you to the dance yet?" This time it was Kagome's turn to blush. She fidgeted and looked at her hands.

"Ummm...well...yeah actually..." Kagome looked up at Inuyasha to see a look of disappointment flash across his face. He looked like he was a little kid again and his dog had just died. She could not help but smile a little. Did this mean what she thought it meant? She waited before adding more. "Demo...I don't know if Kouga can dance or not."

Inuyasha fell off his stool.

"Nani?!" he yelled jumping to his feet. "You're going to the dance with that flea bitten, hormone driven, stuck-up idiot?!" Kagome took one look at Inuyasha's horror stricken face and burst out laughing. She clutched her stomach and tried not fall off her own stool. When she was finally able to catch her breath, she looked at Inuyasha to find him glaring at her. A faint blush still stained his cheeks and she giggled again.

"Kami you should have seen your face!" Kagome said, wiping her eyes. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he continued to look at her.

"I didn't find that very funny," he grumbled.

"Oh lighten up Inuyasha." Kagome picked up their dishes and turned around to put them in the dishwasher. She heard Inuyasha come up behind her and she had to hold back another giggle.

"Does that mean he didn't ask you?" Inuyasha asked, a noticeable amount of hope in his voice. Kagome turned back around to look at him and she suddenly realised how close he really was. She took a step back and found herself against the counter. Inuyasha's eyes bore into hers and she swallowed.

"Iie, he asked me," she answered. Inuyasha's eyes sharpened and he took a step forward. Their bodies were now inches apart and Kagome could feel the heat rolling of his body. She wanted to jump into his arms and cling to him as he warmed her own body. She wanted to be able to wrap her arms around his shoulders and inhale his male scent to her hearts content. Kagome's stomach tightened and she could feel heat rush to her cheeks.

"Demo, you can't possibly—" Kagome cut Inuyasha of by putting a finger to his lips.

"I said he asked me," she said smiling, "I didn't say I had accepted." Kagome could have sworn she saw relief flash across Inuyasha's golden orbs but as soon as she blinked, it was gone. Then he smirked and wrapped his arms around her waist. Kagome's face became even redder as he spun her around so that he was the one leaning against the counter.

"You little wench," he muttered, "You enjoy tormenting me, don't you?" Kagome laughed uneasily because of the position they were in.

"Absolutely." Inuyasha shook his head and held her close. Kagome's eyes widened a little at his actions. 'Why is he acting this way?' She mentally asked herself. Many answers poured into her head; most of them were pushed away because no matter how hard she wished it, it just was not possible. He was just being protective. That had to be it; he was still worried she was shaken up about being questioned by the police officer.

"Well Kagome Higurashi, who enjoys tormenting her friends," Inuyasha said with a smile, "Would you like to be my date for the Winter Dance on Saturday?" Kagome's heart skipped a beat and she found it hard to breathe. She looked up at him, expecting to find to suddenly laugh and call it all a big joke. It shocked her to find complete sincerity when she looked into his golden eyes. They shone with utter seriousness and Kagome's pulse sped up.

"Hontou?" she asked, her voice breathy.

"Hai." One word was all it took. Kagome squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Of course I'll go with you Inuyasha." She said, her lips forming a smile. Kagome could not believe it! One of her wishes had actually come true. She was glad Inuyasha was holding onto her because she was not sure her legs would be able to carry her at the moment. She kissed his cheek before pulling back and smiling at him.

'Just you wait Inuyasha,' she thought to herself. 'This is going to be a night you'll remember for the rest of your life.'

#-#-#

Inuyasha could not help but notice how radiant Kagome looked. Her lush, pink lips had turned up into a smile and her sapphire eyes shone with joy. How could one simple question make her so happy? Inuyasha had been afraid that she was going to reject him when he asked. The idea had suddenly come to him when he was eating the sandwich she had made and it had taken a lot of courage before he had been able to actually ask her.

When she had said Kouga had asked her, Inuyasha could not describe what he felt. It was a jumble of emotions that tore at his heart. Hell, he had fallen off his freaking stool! That should have some indication of how surprised he was. He had been ready to hunt the asshole down and rip his vocal cords out before Kagome had started laughing. It had been so innocent and full of enchantment that Inuyasha was not sure it was the same person.

Kagome had been very shaken up after her interrogation and it taken all of Inuyasha's strength not pull her into his arms and kiss away her grief. He trembled at the thought of touching her sweet lips with his. The attraction towards Kagome was growing and Inuyasha did not know what to do. He did not know how she would react if he had kissed her properly; her mood swings were confusing enough.

Inuyasha also did not know what had possessed him to ask her to the dance in the first place. But the thought of Kagome going with any other guy really bothered him. He just could not stand the thought of her dancing with someone else while he watched on the sidelines. He wanted to hold her close, like he was doing now, as they slowly swayed to a steady rhythm.

Inuyasha suddenly realised how close Kagome really was and he blushed. It had been a natural instinct to wrap his arms around her. Now that he thought about it, he did not really remember grabbing her in the first place. It was as if his body had acted without his mind and as much as he tried to deny it, he was not apposed to it. He liked the feel of Kagome's body against his and wished he could do it more often. However, he still was not sure of his own emotions, so he reluctantly let her go.

He watched as s strange look came over her features. For a moment it looked like she was going to step back into his embrace but then decided not to. They stood in silence and Inuyasha's hand unconsciously rose to the cheek she had kissed. Her touch had been as light as a feather, but it had stilled warmed his skin as soon as her lips had made contact with his face. Inuyasha shook his head to get rid of the sudden heat in his cheeks and then turned to look at Kagome.

His mouth curved into a mischievous smile as a sudden thought came to mind. "You planning on going to the rest of your classes?"

Kagome cocked her head to one side and pretended to think as the same smile formed her lips. "You wanna play hooky?" she asked with a laugh. Inuyasha nodded and grabbed her hand.

"Come on," he said, "We can go see a movie and get a bite to eat. That sandwich didn't do much for me."

"Are you insulting my cooking?" She asked, playfully poking him in the chest.

"Of course not. It just wasn't very filling."

"Well then you should restock your food supply once in a while."

"Talk to Miroku," Inuyasha said with a shrug, "He's the one who does all the shopping." Kagome let out a giggle and Inuyasha smiled. He loved how he was able to be himself with Kagome. Kikyou did not really have a sense of humour and Inuyasha suddenly realised how much he had missed laughing with Kagome. Had he been so wrapped up in Kikyou that he had totally ignored his best friend? Inuyasha felt like smacking himself.

"Ne Inuyasha, daijobuka?" Inuyasha looked at Kagome and found her staring at him.

"H-hai. Gomen, must have drifted off for a moment." He shook his head to rid himself of any troublesome thoughts and smirked at the raven-haired female in front of him. "Now, are we going to be able to leave now or do I have to wait an hour while you get ready?" Kagome smacked him but amusement glittered in her chocolate eyes.

"Baka," she said, turning towards the door. She grabbed her backpack and slung it over her shoulder before looking back at him. "We do have to stop at my dorm though. I don't want to have to carry this thing around and I need to grab a jacket." Inuyasha nodded and quickly went into his room. He grabbed his own jacket from inside his closet and returned to find Kagome waiting by the door.

"Ready?"

"Hai." They both walked out the door and Inuyasha locked the door behind them. He put the key back in his pocket and grabbed Kagome's hand as they started towards her own dorm room. It was turning out to be a very enjoyable day indeed.

#-#-#

"This has been the worst day of my life!" Kikyou said, pounding her fist on the table. Her friends jumped, startled from her sudden outburst. She glared at nothing in particular but one person was running through her mind.

"That stupid bitch." Kikyou bit out, "Who the hell does she think she is?" She was sitting at her usual table in the middle of the school cafeteria, cursing her cousin. Kanna was beside her, looking into her small compact, as usual. Kikyou swore she had never seen the blonde without it. Kanna was extremely vain but Kikyou could not really blame her. She was stunning.

Kagura and Yura were sitting across from them, picking at their food and looking awkward. Kikyou's hands clenched and she beat the table again. She was not about to let her wretched cousin get away with what she had done. Kikyou had been humiliated in front of a lot of people and her reputation was not to be trifled with.

"Why can't you just let it go?" Kikyou looked up and into Kagura's ruby eyes. She raised her eyebrow at the brunette and Kagura squirmed in her seat. Both Yura and Kanna were also staring at Kagura and Kikyou tried to control her anger as the woman across from her continued.

"I mean...it's not like you can really do anything to Kagome right now. If anything happens to her, you're going to be blamed. There had to be over a couple hundred people who witnessed your...incident and things like that spread like wildfire in this school."

"Don't you think I know that already?" Kikyou sighed. She sat back in her chair with a huff and looked at her nails. They had been painted a bright red to match her lipstick but the edges were now chipping because of the stupid fight with Kagome. The stupid fight that Kikyou should not have lost. The stupid fight that would have ended with Kagome's death if Inuyasha had not interfered.

Kikyou's nails dug into her palm as she thought about her now ex-boyfriend. The look of despise he had given her had sent shivers down her spine. She had not believed it when he stepped into save Kagome from her dagger. She was his best friend, but the way he had been holding on to her waist when he had led her away said it was more then that. Kikyou's eyes suddenly widened in realisation.

'That little tramp! This has been her plan all along,' she thought maliciously. 'It's her fault Inuyasha turned on me. And now it's time for her to pay the price.' Kikyou vaguely became aware of the voice around her. She blinked a few times and released the grip on her own hand.

"Why are you defending her Kagura?" Kanna demanded. Kikyou looked from one sister to the other cursed herself for not paying attention.

"I'm not! I'm just saying that Kikyou shouldn't have pulled the dagger out. It only made matters worse." Kikyou glared at the brunette.

"I was just trying to make it interesting," she said with a smirk.

"You were trying to kill your own cousin." Kagura stated.

"I didn't want to kill her." Kikyou defended, a smirk still on her face. "I wanted to give her a cut for every time she's pissed me off; which would have been quite a few, so if she had bled to death it wouldn't have been my fault." Kanna and Yura snickered and Kagura's eyes narrowed.

"You're sick." Kikyou raised an eyebrow at her. Kagura's ruby orbs flashed as they stared at each other. An unnatural silence had fallen over their table and the two women seemed to be unaware of any noise around them. Kikyou could not read Kagura's emotions. It was strange. Strange that Kagura had talked back; strange that that she was glaring at her; strange that she was defending Kagome.

"I can't believe you'd go as far as pulling a knife on her." Kagura said, her jaw tight.

"And I think you're out of line." Kikyou replied. Kagura's eyes widened and then she started to laugh.

"Out of line?" Kagura asked through a sneer. "I am not one of your fan club members Kikyou. I follow my own set of 'lines'."

"Kagura what's gotten into you?" Yura asked, her mouth wide open. "Why are you acting this way?"

"Probably because of her new sex toy."

#-#-#

Kagura stared at her sister in disbelief. Kanna's dark eyes showed no emotion and Kagura swallowed. Kikyou and Yura were looking at her with curious faces and Kagura felt a blush creep onto her cheeks.

"You been holding out on us Kagura?" Kikyou asked, "You're not being a very good friend." Kagura ignored and continued to stare at her sister.

"Nani...ikayou...?" she trailed off. Kanna smirked and looked back in her mirror.

"You put on a nice scene for me in the driveway a few weeks ago and you haven't been the same since." Kanna answered. Kagura took a step back and her mouth hung open.

"You saw?"

"The entire thing."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"And miss out on blackmailing you? Come on Kagura, you know me. We used to read each other's minds, you losing your touch?" Kanna said, amusement in her voice. Her eyes were still looking into her mirror and Kagura had the urge to smack her but held back. Kikyou and Yura were gazing at both of them, their eyes going back and forth.

"So who's the guy?" Yura asked. Kagura blushed even more and her eyes filled with fear. She had not told them for a reason. She did not want them to use it against her. She lo—cared about Sesshomaru too much to let them do anything to threaten their relationship.

"Yeah, who's bed have you been warming Kagura?"

"..." Kagura tried to think of something intelligent to say. She looked back at her sister and cringed. She had finally stopped looking at herself in the mirror and was now staring at her. An amused smirk had formed on her lips. Kagura shook her head and silently begged her not to tell. The blonde took a deep breath muttered two words.

"Sesshomaru Tetsusaiga." The other two females gasped and Kagura shot her sister a fierce look.

"Kanna!"

"Give me a break Kagura; you had it coming for speaking to Kikyou like that."

"You're so full of shit Kanna." The two sisters glowered at each other as Yura and Kikyou stared at them in shock.

"You're going out with Inuyasha's brother?!" Kikyou asked dumfounded, her voice rising in pitch. "That boring, stuck-up snob? I thought you had more class than that Kagura." Kagura's death glare turned to Kikyou and she shot daggers at the long-haired woman. Then Kagura's hand rose up and made contact with Kikyou's cheek.

"Fuck you Kikyou," she whispered. With one last glare at her sister, Kagura picked up her tray and walked away from the table. Kikyou stared in shock as the brunette walked away. Her face stung for a second time that day and the three females sat in an awkward silence until Kagura was no longer visible.

"I told you she had changed." Kanna stated.

"Sesshomaru...sugoi." Yura said. "And all this time I thought he was gay!"

#-#-#

"I can't believe you got so riled up over a simple compliment Inuyasha." Kagome said with a laugh as she and the silver-haired man neared his dorm room. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Come on Kagome! If you were a guy and a waiter came up to you and told you how cute you were, how would you feel?" Kagome erupted into laughter again as he took out his keys. They had just been seated in a small restaurant when their waiter had come by and asked them if they wanted something to drink. He had then proceeded to flirt with Inuyasha and Kagome thought it was hysterically funny.

"At least he wasn't ugly," she giggled. Inuyasha glared at her and turn his key, opening the door.

"Feh. Maybe I should have asked him to the dance instead of you." Kagome put on a fake pout and stood in the doorway.

"Mou, do you think he'd look better in a dress than me Inuyasha?" she said, "'Cause I could always go back to the restaurant and ask him to go in my place."

"Shut up." Inuyasha said, taking his key out of the door. "And you needn't worry about him looking better than you, I don't think that's possible." Kagome blushed.

"You really think so?"

"Hai."

"And why is that?"

"You've got boobs." Kagome punched Inuyasha in the arm but laughed nonetheless. She had had so much fun going out with Inuyasha. They had gone to see a movie and then to a nice quiet restaurant and talked for over an hour. She did not want their time together to end, which was why she had not stepped into the room yet. They stood in silence for a few minutes before Inuyasha spoke.

"You sure you want to go with me Kagome?" he asked tentatively, "I mean if you want to go with someone else it's fine, I'm not trying to force you are anything and I—" Kagome cut him off by putting a finger on his lips.

"Absolutely," she said. Then she kissed him on the cheek and turned around. Kagome pushed the door open and stepped across the threshold to find Miroku and Sango standing in the middle of the room staring at her.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Kagome took off her jacket and threw it on the couch.

"Good to hear you have a date for the dance Kagome." Sango said mischievously. Kagome blushed and fiddled with her hands. Then she felt Inuyasha come up behind her and squeeze her shoulder. She looked at him and he winked.

"How much you wanna bet that we'll be seeing you there, Sango?" This time Sango blushed and Miroku laughed. "Hmmm, that's what I thought." Sango looked at the floor and turned around. Kagome gave Miroku a questioning glance and he nodded. She clapped her hands together and ran at Sango.

"Guess this means we'll be going shopping again, ne Sango?" Sango gave her an embarrassed smile and nodded. "Sugoi! Ne ne, he really asked you to go with him?"

"H-hai..."

"Hontou?"

"Hai..."

"Hontou hontouni?"

"Hai!" Kagome smiled and put her lips to Sango's ear.

"We're going to knock their socks off," she whispered. Sango looked at Kagome with wide eyes and then giggled.

"Hai!" she said, giving her friend a high five.

"Plotting against us already?" Inuyasha said from behind them. The two women turned around at smiled innocently. Then they looked at each other again and giggled. Inuyasha shook his head and sat down on the couch.

"I think we're in trouble Miroku," he said with a lazy smile. Kagome felt her heart flutter as she looked at him. He was so damn sexy. She felt her cheeks go red and Sango poked her in the ribs.

"Ouch, Sango what was that—" Sango raised an eyebrow and her eyes flickered to Inuyasha. Kagome blushed even harder and Sango let out a small laugh.

"Did you have fun playing hooky today Kagome?"

"Ah, gomen gomen! I really didn't feel like going back to class after what happened."

"I understand Kagome. I wouldn't have gone either." Then she leaned in towards Kagome and whispered in her ear. "I'm glad you found a way to take your mind off things though." Kagome grinned.

"Well, you would have done the same thing ne?" Sango flushed and turned away. She walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, taking out a bottle of water. None of them really liked soda pop, so their drinks mostly consisted of water, milk and juice. The men had beer of course but Kagome and Sango complained about having nothing to good to drink once. They men had immediately gone out and bought them something non-alcoholic, promising to have a better supply next time Sango and Kagome came over. Kagome smiled at the memory.

"You want something?" Sango asked. Kagome shook her head and sat down on one of the kitchen stools.

"Iie, we just had lunch," she replied. Sango shrugged and opened her bottle of water. Kagome looked over her shoulder and watched as Miroku and Inuyasha talked on the couch. They seemed to be having a very serious conversation. Miroku was gesturing with his hands and Inuyasha was nodding every now and then. Suddenly, a blush crept over Inuyasha's face and he hit Miroku on the head.

"Hentai," he muttered, looking up. His gaze Kagome's and she gave him a questioning glance. Inuyasha's golden eyes widened a little and his face became even redder. He turned away and stared at the wall and Kagome could not help wondering what they had been talking about.

#-#-#

"So you spent the whole day with Kagome?" Miroku asked as he sat down on the couch beside Inuyasha. Inuyasha nodded and Miroku raised his eyebrows suggestively. "So did anything happen?"

"Not in the way that your mind thinks, you sick bastard." Miroku grinned and winked at him.

"Demo, there must have been at least one point where you wanted to do something." Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but said nothing. "Where did you go, the movies?" Inuyasha nodded again.

"Must have been pretty dark in there. Did you see a scary movie?" Another nod. "Did you choose the movie?" Another nod. "And when Kagome jumped into your arms from being scared, you wanted to strip of her clothing and take her right there in the theatre—" Inuyasha blushed fiercely and hit Miroku on the head. The violet-eyed male fell to the floor with a groan.

"Hentai." Inuyasha muttered. He looked up and suddenly felt himself drowning in Kagome's azure eyes. She gave him a questioning glance and Inuyasha blushed even harder. He tore his gaze away and looked at the wall, not wanting her to notice how embarrassed he was. Although he would never admit it, Inuyasha had been hoping that the movie would have scared her a little.

He had pictured her beautiful blue eyes widening and then letting out a little squeak. Inuyasha knew Kagome put up a tough front and so she would not have screamed like most other woman. She then would have grabbed his arm and buried her face into his shoulder, wanting comfort. But the only grabbing she did was of the popcorn he had bought her. Inuyasha let out a sigh and sunk back into the couch in dismay.

#-#-#

'Why had Inuyasha suddenly turned so red?' Kagome thought to herself.

"Miroku was probably asking if he put the moves on you while you were out." Sango said, answering her unspoken question. Sango came up beside her and leaned against the counter. Then she winked at Kagome.

"Why do you say that?" she asked.

"What else would Miroku be interested in?" Kagome laughed and Sango soon joined in.

"I wish he had put the moves on me." Kagome said loud enough for only Sango could hear. The magenta-eyed female laughed again and shook her head. She took another gulp of water. Then she capped the bottle and put it on the counter.

"I think you've been hanging around Miroku too much." Sango said with a grin.

"Why? Jealous?" Kagome said. Sango hit her on the arm.

"Not in the slightest." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Uh huh, right, sure." She said. A small blush stained Sango's cheeks and Kagome shook her head.

"Ano...when do you want to go shopping Kagome?" The raven-haired girl shrugged her shoulders.

"How about on Thursday? That'll give us a few days to get everything together." Kagome suggested. The dance was on Saturday and going to be held at a new club that had just been opened. It was called Hakurei and Kagome had passed by it a few times. It had been during the day so she knew it was going to look completely different at night.

She could hardly wait.

#-#-#

Matte - wait

Ikayou - how

A/N : a little shorter than the last ones but lots happened lol. I've planned out the rest of this story (I just hafta actually write them) so for anyone who cares, theres going to be 20 chaps an epilogue. I also have 5 or so stories on hold that I will be doing after I finish this one. Not all wil b Inuyasha but they're all going to be AU so you can read them anyway lol. REVIEW! And maybe I won't wait until I finish my old chaps to update again lol. Also I have a new email so don't get confused if you don't see the usual one lol. REVIEW!

--Sereia


	16. Preparation

Konichiwa mina-san! #hears nothing but crickets in the background# ummm...hello? #more crickets# ah shit...I know I took long time but this is ridiculous! #a frog croaks and then more crickets are heard# Well, for anyone who IS still around, lot's of stuff happened but I won't bore you with the details. And it wasn't just this chap that I was doing, as I said, I went over all the other chaps which actually look pretty good, even if I do say so myself. So yeah, if you have time to kill, go read them again cuz some stuff has been added and you MIGHT (I stress might) get a little confused later on. But that's up to you. Plus, this chap would have been out on Halloween but when I uploaded it some of the symbols weren't showing up. I had to then go through all my chaps and change the symbols for song lyrics and the inner voice and yeah...SO ANNOYING!!!Anyways, there were a few things that people kept asking me about in their reviews so I figured I'd answer them up here rather then individually:

**1)** _Translations_ – I know I tend to use a bit of Japanese in each chap and lots of you don't know what the words mean. So, at the end of each chap there's a little translation guide. Every Japanese word I use in the chap is translated into English for you. Isn't that great? Huh? Huh?! Thought so.

**2)** _Kagome's outfit for the dance_ – Many people were confused about Kagome telling Sango they needed to shopping at the end of the last chap. Make no mistake, Kagome's still wearing her leather ensemble; what she meant was, they needed to go shopping for an outfit for Sango.

**3)** _The ring_ – ah yes, the ring. No I haven't forgotten about it and yes it will appear later on in the story. Don't worry, it will be explained and everything will be sorted out by the end of the story so keep your pants on!

**4)** _The Kag/Inu lemon_ – Now this is something EVERYONE is asking about. It isn't happening for a few chaps yet people, so you're gonna hafta wait. I know you're all real anxious and to tell you the truth, I'm a little anxious too. I want it to be really good and I can't wait to write it. But it and when Kagome and Inuyasha actually kiss aren't in this chap. So be patient and you will be well rewarded when the time comes.

**5)** _Recommendations_ – A few of you asked for my opinion on some of the really good Inuyasha fics. Well, anything under my favourites list is good, that's why it's there P. 'Choices' by hanyou007 and 'Where Did You Go?' by Skittles1 are some of my personal favs. Also anything by Maiden of the Moon, Stone Dragon Ruby, Melissa Byrd and Sorena is always worth reading. And if anyone wants me to read one of their fics, PLEASE let me know! I would love to give you feedback!

**6)** _Responses _– This is where I'll be answering questions from people reviews. Just a reminder that I don't respond to everyone, because that would just take way too long, but if you do have a specific question then put it in your review and I'll answer it next time.

**X-with stars **Yes I totally agree with you! Fuck is an awesome word and should be used more often lol.

**Leomae** Sorry I didn't respond to last time, I don't do everyone cuz then each chap would be double the length lol. Kagome and Inuyasha won't be kissing in this chap either but lots of interesting stuff happens!

**Kim **You always give such nice long reviews, I love it! Yes Kikyou has something up her sleeve but she doesn't necessarily need something to use against Kagome, but it's going to be evil anyway. I just hope I don't get impaled by various sharp objects when it happens...And thanks for the tip on Kagome's eyes, I went through each chap and changed them all to blue, so I hope I didn't miss one..."Now presenting the magical Kagome and her mystical changing eyes!" LOL.

**BladeSaturn** #gets smacked in the face with an apple and falls over, swirly-eyed# Oro...gomennasai! Stuff piled up and I couldn't get out of it. But here's the next chap, so enjoy! #goes wide-eyed as she's pelted by more apples# HELP!!!

**Ladykaa28** Your reviews are wonderful and I always love getting them. I know I made Kanna kinda evil, but that's just the way I see her. She's a follower, whether it's her family or the person in power. There is going to be some 'overhearing' later on but not in the way you said. It does sound like a good idea, so I'll see what I can do.

**Hanyou007 **You're reviews are always hilarious! I think you're one of the few reviewers that actually make me laugh out loud when I read your reviews. #hand him a cookie# See? I give rewards, you should to! And I still can't get the image of Kikyou in witch costume and flying on a broom stick. That will be forever treasure lol. Keep up the great work on your own story, I hope to see more soon!

**Cattykit** You get the pleasure of being the one to send me the longest review ever! #gives her a gold star and throws confetti# You should feel special! #grins# And I appreciate your comments about the flame. I was just kinda ticked off about the fact that my story was being compared to real life when even the name of the site it's on is And thanks for reading my one-shot as well; I didn't get as many reviews for that one so it's nice to know someone's reading it.

**Kaye** Ah yes, there's just something about a girl wearing guys clothes that just inflates a guy's ego to no end lol. I love thinking up perverted comments for Miroku, it's so fun! Hope you enjoy this chap.

**Psycho-Lark** I really don't have anything to say to you...except that I'm going to get you back for blackmailing one of these days! #shakes her fist at her#

**Stone Dragon, Ruby **Don't worry, no red for Kagome, but Inuyasha will be wearing some. Can't change that! But I agree, light blue does suit Kagome...I'll have to think of something that I can make her wear that's light blue.

**Twilightshadow** I will get around to reading your story in the next few days, but I have been really busy. It took me seven months to update this story, isn't that sad? So yes I'll read your story and then we can both dance on the ceiling okay? Also, the song you suggested, I listened to it and was blown away. It's such a good song! I'm considering using it but I'm not sure yet. If I do I'll send out a special thanks to you at the beginning of the chap!

**ShadowStar666** We should start a Kikyou-hater's Club! That would be awesome mwahahaha #joins a group of people standing around a burning stake, Kikyou screaming from the centre#

**JDLS** You reviewed every chap! #hands over a large box of pocky# Thanks so much!

**Principessa**** Squish Avina** You have such an awesome name. It's so cool! And I hope this will suffice and change your mind about feeding my toes to the ducks...

**Meeko** No one knows that Kagome is singing at the dance except for Sango and the band. That's one part of her plan but SHHHHHHH don't tell anybody! #looks around suspiciously# ****

**PreciousRin** I'm gad you liked my portrayal of Hojou. I'm just so sick of him being the dorky nice-guy. I needed a change of pace and so made him evil. Can't you just see it? His innocent persona dissolving into a murderous psychopath? I thought so.

"---" talking

'---' thinking

-_italics_- song lyrics

/---/ inner voice

----- letter / note

**Diclaimer: **Do I really need to do one of these? If I owned Inuyasha I would be lounging around in a mansion instead of searching for a job!

Lark: That's still no excuse for taking seven months to update.

Sereia: #blushes# uh...well...you see, the thing about that is...

Lark: That's what I thought. #beats her over the head with an inflatable hammer#

Sereia: Oro...

Ryan: I'm surprised your reviewers, if you even have any left, haven't come after you with pitchforks yet.

Sereia: #turns around surprised# Wait a minute, where the hell did you come from? Who said you could barge in on my disclaimer?!

Ryan: I'm the Lord and Master, I can do whatever I want. #glares at her#

Sereia: Ummm...#tries to think of something to say# uh...well...you should...update your own story! Hahaha you can't complain about mine anymore! #eyes widen as he unsheathes his sword and starts chasing her around the room# GAH--! #darts out of the way and sticks out her tongue# Nyah! Can't get me! #smacks into a wall and Ryan pounds her over the head with his sword# Someone help...

Lark: #is content with sitting in her corner and eating pocky# That's what you get for making everyone wait over half a year. #munch munch#

Sereia: #lies on the ground, swirly-eyed#

**_Chapter Fifteen_**

**__**

**_Preparation_**

**__**

"This one?"

"Nope."

"This one?"

"Nope."

"How about this one?"

"...Nope."

"You're not giving me much choice."

"Then obviously you need to find a different style." Kagome glared at Sango and put the outfit she had just picked out back on the rack. They had been to five different stores and Sango had yet to find something that she liked.

"Come on Sango!" Kagome whined, "We're going to be here 'til midnight if you don't find something." Sango raised an eyebrow at her.

"I've found many things," she countered, "You just won't let me buy them."

"Sango, if I'm going in that leather bra thing," Kagome glared at her again, "Then I am not letting you get away with anything below the knees."

"You said you were going to buy that outfit anyway Kagome-chan." Sango walked away from her and started going through some shirts. Kagome rolled her eyes and walked up behind her.

"Do you really think you would have let me walk out of that store without it?" The brunette smirked and winked at her.

"Of course not."

"I rest my case." Sango picked out a shirt and showed it to her friend but Kagome shook her head so she replaced it.

"I don't know why you're complaining Kagome." They started out of the store only to go into the one right next to it. "I think that outfit is going to prove to be quite effective." Sango laughed out loud as Kagome blushed. "You've got it bad." Kagome blushed even harder and started to fiddle with her jacket zipper.

"And you don't?" she mumbled, following Sango to the back of the store.

"I haven't been pining after the same guy for over ten years Kag."

"Has it really been that long? I've lost count." Sango sighed and patted her on the shoulder.

"He'll come around," she said in a comforting tone, "Once he gets a look at you on Saturday, he'll be on his knees begging for forgiveness for being so stupid." Kagome laughed and playfully slapped her on the arm. They began to look through the wracks again, each turning down the other's choice. "How's that plan of yours coming along by the way?"

A grin spread across Kagome's face. "Great! I've got the perfect songs picked out and I don't really see a way something could go wrong." Kagome had been asked to perform at the club during the dance and she had almost refused. She was glad she didn't because the songs she was planning on singing were a big part of her plan to get back at her cousin once and for all. She had asked the band to perform specific songs for her and they were happy to oblige.

"Are you sure, Kagome?" Sango gave her a sceptical look, "I mean, you say that now, but what if something does go wrong? I don't want you digging yourself so deep that you can't get out." Kagome waved her off and walked to a different wrack.

"Hai hai. Daijobou Sango, I've got everything figured out. Kikyou lost something she's always taken for granted and thought she'd always have and I'm going to completely rub her face in it." She grinned again and Sango could not help but do the same. Kagome had waited years to get back at her cousin and the first step had been standing up to her. The second had been punching her face in, which Kagome had enjoyed immensely.

Suddenly Kagome spotted something at the back of one of the wracks to her right. She reached up and pulled on the article of clothing. It slipped off the hook but Kagome didn't trouble herself by reaching for it; the hanger was a little too high for her and she couldn't be bothered to battle with it. She smiled mischievously and then grabbed something else off another wrack and shoved it into Sango's hands.

"Go into a change room and try this on," she said to the brunette, her sapphire eyes sparkling. Sango gave her a strange look and tried to protest but Kagome cut her off. "Don't argue with me Sango, I've been around you since . . . well a long time. I know what looks good on you and what doesn't. Now, go in there and try it on." Sango sighed and allowed Kagome to hustle her into a change room.

Kagome smiled to herself as she listened to her friend change. It was nice to be the bossy one for once, she thought as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Usually it was Sango who was forcing clothes on to Kagome, even if she wasn't planning on actually buying anything.

"Done yet?" Kagome called into the stall. It opened with a small creak and Sango stepped out. Kagome's eyes widened a little and she let out a low whistle. Sango blushed and turned around slowly.

"You really think it's appropriate?" She asked. Kagome raised an eyebrow at the brunette before looking her over. The top was a shimmery pale pink and went down to Sango's hips but it only had two buttons so the front opened up and showed off her smooth stomach. The upper half clung to Sango's skin but as soon as it reached the end of the buttons, it became loose and flowed out nicely around her body.

The sleeves were long and tight until they flared out at the ends, just above the wrists. The skirt Kagome had picked out was classic black but only went down to the middle of Sango's thighs. The outfit was completed by the stylish knee-high boots Sango was wearing and Kagome took a step back to get a better look.

"Well?" Sango asked, looking a bit nervous, "What do you think?"

"If he doesn't notice you, he's gay." Kagome met Sango's gaze and they burst into a fit of giggles. Their laughter had almost subsided when they met gazes again and burst out laughing for a second time. When they were both able to speak, Kagome winked at Sango and told her to change back into her normal clothes so she could pay for the outfit. Sango gave her a slight nod before disappearing into the change room.

Sango paid for her new clothes and they both left the store with grins on their faces. Now they both had a gorgeous new image for the dance on Saturday. They were on their way out of the mall when Sango turned to Kagome with a questioning look on her face.

"Ne, Kagome, how are you going to hide your new outfit from Inuyasha?" She asked as they pushed open the main doors and stepped out into the parking lot, "You said the ensemble was part of the plan, but how are you going to keep it a surprise?" Kagome winked at her friend before getting out her keys.

"You remember that long leather coat I bought all those years ago but never wore?" Sango nodded slowly, realisation dawning in her magenta eyes, "Well, don't you think it's about time I broke it in?"

"Good idea. What say you and I start getting ready at about...oh...four o'clock? That way we have time to fix something if anything goes wrong." Kagome nodded and then smiled.

"You think we're going to be able to keep the guys away for that long? I mean, the dance starts at seven right?" Sango nodded and Kagome clicked off the alarm on her car, "Should we come up with some excuse if they try to bang down our door?" Sango laughed and opened the passenger door.

"Iie, if they know what's good for them, they'll leave us alone until we're ready to go. Then we'll all pile into Miroku's car and he'll drive us down to Hakurei." They both got into the car and Kagome turned on the engine.

"Actually Sango, I've been meaning to talk to you about that. I have something else in mind."

"Oh? Do tell." Kagome grinned and proceeded to fill Sango in on the next part of her plan.

#-#-#

"Something wrong?" Kagura put her coffee cup down and looked at the man sitting across from her. Sesshomaru had been on the phone for over half an hour and had only just sat down at the table located in the middle of his kitchen. He had an almost tired look on his face. Worry and anger was visible in his hard golden eyes and Kagura reached out to touch his hand.

He let out a sigh as Kagura intertwined their fingers. Sesshomaru wasn't one to show his emotion so easily, so Kagura knew there was something bothering him without even asking. But Kagura knew he wouldn't actually voice his problems without her asking so when he didn't answer, she gave his hand a small squeeze.

"Sesshomaru...?" He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. Kagura sucked in a breath as the usual sparks leapt across her skin at the contact. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Kagura found her voice. "Sesshomaru? You were on the phone for a while, and I—"

"Okonosata never made it to the police station." Kagura blinked and then her ruby eyes widened.

"_Hojou_ Okonosata? The guy who attacked Kagome?" Sesshomaru nodded once and Kagura gave him a confused look. "You mean he died from Kagome's attack?"

"I mean he killed the two policemen that were with him and escaped." Kagura gasped and her hand flew to her mouth.

"W-what?" Sesshomaru clasped his hands together and didn't say anything else. Kagura gaped at him, the information still a shock to her mind. "K-kami . . . what's going to happen to Kagome when she finds out?"

"She's not going to find out." Sesshomaru's eyes became hard and dangerous.

"H-huh?"

"Higurashi is not going to know that Okonosata escaped because we're not going to tell her." Sesshomaru met her gaze Kagura knew at that moment that he was more involved in this that she had thought.

"Sesshomaru, why are you so concerned about Kagome?" she asked, her gaze piercing, "I saw your eyes changed when we went to visit her and your brother in the hospital." He raised an eyebrow at her and then smirked.

"Jealous?" he asked. Sesshomaru reached out and touched her face, gently stroking her cheek. Kagura's eyes lit up and she smiled.

"I don't know. Should I be?" Sesshomaru shook his head lightly and then retracted his hand.

"Trust me. The only relation I have to Higurashi is that she's with my brother."

"With? But they're not—" He raised an eyebrow at her again and she smiled, "So you noticed it too ne?"

"I've noticed it for a long time. What surprises me is how long it's been and that my stupid brother still hasn't realised it." Kagura laughed and nodded.

"Maybe I should smack him over the head and knock some sense into him."

"You'd have to get in line."

"I didn't doubt it for a second. But you still didn't answer my question." Kagura said, "Why are you so worried about Kagome?" Sesshomaru sat back in his chair and crossed his arms across his chest.

"My concern is not about Higurashi, Kagura." She gave him a confused look, "My concern is about Okonosata."

"I don't understand. Why would you be concerned about him?"

"Because he killed my father."

#-#-#

Kouga checked his watch and looked around for the hundredth time. He was not a patient person and so the fact that he had been waiting almost fifteen minutes annoyed him intensely.

'Why she wanted to talk to me, I'll never know,' he thought to himself. Checking his watch again, Kouga cursed under his breath. "What a bitch! Asking me to go out of my way and then she doesn't even show up on time."

"Now Kouga, there's no need for name-calling." Kouga turned around with another curse and glared at the woman.

"I'd say there is. You need to learn to be on time," Kouga snarled, taking a step forward, "I had to go out of my way to meet you and you kept me waiting. Doesn't really give me any reason to listen to you."

Kikyou rolled her eyes and flipped her long hair over her shoulder. If she didn't hurry and get this over with, she was going to be late for her manicure. It was one of the things that made her feel better and she needed one for the dance on Saturday anyway.

"Give me a break, Kouga," she said, "I'm not going to be very long and I think you'll be interested in what I have to say." Kouga raised an eyebrow at her and crossed his arms. Kikyou bit her lip in order to keep a straight face. It was just too easy. Kagome was going to get what was coming to her and Kikyou wasn't going to have to even raise a finger against her.

"So? What do you have to say to me? My time is precious and you're wasting valuable seconds just standing there." He smirked at her and Kikyou's hands clenched. 'Was this guy for real?' she thought to herself. She didn't think it was possible for anyone to be this conceited.

"I have plenty to say," she said with a smile. "And trust me, when I'm finished, you're going to be glad you waited."

"Oh, really? And what could you possibly have to say that would interest me?"

"One word: Kagome." Kouga blinked at her and Kikyou smirked. Such a simple mind, and therefore, very easy to please.

"What about her?"

"You like her don't you?"

"What's it to you?"

"A key element in my revenge." Kouga shook his head and took a step away.

"Oh no, I'm not getting in the middle of some family feud between you and your cousin."

"But you'd like to get back at her for dumping you." Kouga flushed and glared at her.

"That's not the point," he said, "And she didn't dump me."

"Uh huh." Kikyou was not convinced but the look on Kouga's face showed her that he didn't want to fight her fight. It didn't matter; Kikyou had many tricks up her sleeve and she had only just begun. "So you don't want revenge on Kagome?"

"The hell I don't!" Anger flashed across the man's crystal blue orbs, "Sometimes I want to hit her so hard . . . But I won't fight anyone else's battle. I have my own to win."

"Not even when it will hurt Inuyasha as well?" Kikyou saw the anger in Kouga's eyes turn to blind fury and she knew she had him.

"What did you have in mind?" The corners of his mouth curled up into an evil smile. Kikyou casually shrugged her shoulders and walked around him.

"Nothing much," she said, her voice taking on a smug tone, "But if you do what I say, both Kagome and Inuyasha are going to get hurt . . . badly."

"I'm not fighting them."

"Of course not, you silly boy." Kikyou turned around and faced him, "You have such a violent mind. No, no, I have something much more . . . emotionally devastating in mind."

"Oh really?" He raised an eyebrow at her again, but Kikyou could tell he was already hooked.

"Yes really. Now," she said, the edge of her blood-red lips curving into a smile, "Are you in?"

"Absolutely," Kouga shook her hand and Kikyou had to keep from laughing. In just forty-eight hours, both Kagome and Inuyasha would regret the day they had messed with Kikyou Miko. It was going to be a night they would never forget.

"Excellent."

#-#-#

"How did you convince her to go with you?" Miroku looked up from his book and stared at his friend.

"How did I convince who?" Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Sango. How did you get her to agree to go to the dance with you?" Miroku took off his reading glasses and grinned at the silver-haired male.

"Elementary my dear Inuyasha," he said, "She was over come by my incredible charm and couldn't say anything but yes." Miroku dodged the pillow that was thrown at him and put his book down on the small table that stood in front of the couch. Inuyasha was sitting in the burgundy recliner across from him, the remote control in his hand. He had obviously pressed the mute button, because there was no sound coming from the television even though Miroku could see it flashing out of the corner of his eye.

"Seriously, what did you say?"

"Why? Need some ideas of what to say to Kagome at the dance?"

"Keh, yeah right." Miroku raised an eyebrow at him and then shook his head.

"It's totally obvious you know." Inuyasha looked at him, confused.

"What is?" he asked, taking a drink of his beer. Miroku had already finished his, and now it stood empty on the table in front of him.

"You're in love with Kagome." Inuyasha choked, the amber liquid getting stuck in his throat. He sat forward, coughing as a faint blush spilled onto his cheeks.

"What are you talking about?" he sputtered, staring at the dark-haired man, "I'm not in love with her."

"Then why did you ask her to the dance?"

"Because I felt like it." Miroku stifled a laugh and Inuyasha glared at him. He took another swig of his beer, trying desperately to get rid of the heat in his face.

"I don't think that's the reason, my dear Inuyasha." The silver-haired male rolled his eyes.

"Oh, really? And tell me, oh great one," he said in a mocking tone, "Just what _was_ my reason?" Miroku put down his book and picked up his empty beer bottle, before walking towards the kitchen. He put it in the sink and then turned around and leant against the counter.

"I think you were afraid of letting her go with someone else. I think you couldn't handle the idea of her dancing with some other guy so you asked her yourself. And I think," he said with a slight smirk, "that you are lying to yourself about how you really feel about her."

"Keh."

Miroku looked over at his friend and let out a sigh. He knew Inuyasha was stubborn, but this was going to take a while. And considering he had only broken up with Kikyou a few days before was going to make it even worse. He had been hurt and Miroku knew that was one of the things Inuyasha tried to avoid. It had started with the death of his father; Inuyasha had not been the same since.

There was also that ring . . . Miroku hadn't been able to get it out of his mind since that day he had discovered it in the hospital. If it _had_ been for Kikyou, Inuyasha was going to need more time than he thought.

"I'm right, aren't I? There is something going on between you and Kagome." Inuyasha shut off the television and then got up from his chair. He crossed the room but didn't look at his friend. His long silver bangs hid his eyes but Miroku could tell his mind was full. Miroku stood still, not wanting to say anything to set Inuyasha off. He knew Inuyasha felt something for Kagome, he just hoped it hadn't died with Kikyou's betrayal.

Inuyasha came up to the island in the middle of the kitchen area and leant against it with a sigh, "Truth?" Miroku nodded at him, his dark eyes searching.

"Truth." Inuyasha let out another sigh before continuing.

"No." Miroku almost fell over.

"What kind of answer is that?!" Inuyasha's eyes hardened and he glared at Miroku.

"You're the one who asked," he retorted, "It's not my fault if you don't like the answer."

"Well I expected something more detailed than that." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and set his empty beer bottle down on the island.

"We're just friends."

"Bullshit." Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at his friend and crossed his arms.

"Keh."

"Come on Inuyasha!" Miroku said, "I've seen the way you look at her and now you've asked her to the dance?" His voice took on a sceptical tone and Inuyasha glared at him.

"I haven't been looking at her any different and why would I?" he asked, "I've been dating Kikyou up until recently . . ." Inuyasha trailed off and Miroku knew he had hit thin ice. Inuyasha's eyes had become hard and dangerous.

"Hey, I know she hurt you bad, but that doesn't mean you have to skip out on something like this."

"She has nothing to do with it." Inuyasha said, "And there's nothing to skip out on because Kagome and I are just friends." Miroku let out a sigh and shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever you say."

#-#-#

"Well that does sound interesting." Sango got out of the car with a smile, only stopping to get her purse and new outfit from the back of Kagome's car. Kagome smiled mischievously.

"Yes I think so," she said as she set the alarm on her car. She wasn't really afraid of her car getting stolen but it paid to be careful. Plus the fact that Kikyou would do anything to make her miserable. Which was why she kept her favourite form of transportation somewhere else.

"You really have this thing all thought out." Kagome nodded and started up to their dorm, Sango at her side.

"Hai."

"He means that much to you huh?"

"Hai," Kagome said with a blush, "More than anything." They reached their room and Sango hung her new clothes in the back of the closet before joining Kagome on the couch.

"I have a question though Kagome." Sango's hands were folded in her lap and she looked at the raven-haired woman with a serious look on her face. Kagome raised an eyebrow at her and leaned back, her feet resting on the small coffee table.

"Shoot."

"Why didn't you tell me you had feelings for Inuyasha?" she asked, "I mean, it's been how many years and you never actually told me you loved him. I was the one who came out and basically said that I knew." Kagome's crystal blue orbs widened a little and she looked at the ground before letting out a sigh.

"I really don't know Sango," she said, "I just"—another sigh—"I thought about it, but I felt so silly. Falling in love with my best friend, doesn't that sound weird?" Sango smiled and put her hand on Kagome's.

"Not in the slightest, if anything, it's better."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you got to know each other as friends. Not a lot of people are able to do that Kagome, which means that you and Inuyasha have something special." Kagome glimpsed at her friend and sniffed.

"How do you know that Sango?" Kagome asked, tears starting to for in her eyes, "For all I know, Inuyasha is going to turn me down flat." Sango hit her lightly on the head.

"Baka," she said, "You keep thinking like that and something is going to go wrong." Kagome forced a smile as she rubbed her head.

"Gomen . . . it's just . . ." she trailed off and looked at the floor again. Sango put her arm around Kagome's shoulders and pulled her close.

"Daijobou Kagome-chan, you have it all planned out, remember?" Sango gave her a squeeze for reassurance, "And if Inuyasha doesn't notice you for the hot little thing you are, we can assume Kikyou turned him gay." Kagome shook her head but a small smile had made its way onto her face.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Sango smiled as well before letting her go.

"Do you think Inuyasha got dropped on his head when he was younger?" Kagome met Sango's magenta gaze, her eyes sparkling with hidden laughter.

"I don't know, why?"

"Because something must have happened to blur his vision. I don't know what he saw in your cousin that he couldn't find in you."

"Maybe he went through a slut phase," Kagome said, her smile getting bigger. No matter what, Sango always knew how to make her feel better. Plus she had a wicked sense of humour. And of course it had nothing to do with the fact that half of the things Sango made fun of were related to Kikyou.

"You mean an empty-headed, stuck up slut phase." Sango said, her laughter spilling past her lips and echoing through the room. Kagome soon joined in, her tears no longer those of misery. Her distress was gone and she once again felt the excitement of tomorrow's dance. It was going to be a night she was never going to forget.

#-#-#

Kagura stared at Sesshomaru in disbelief, her mouth opening and closing like a fish as she desperately tried to form words. Hojou Okonosata had killed his father. Sesshomaru's words sunk deep into Kagura's mind and wrenched at her heart. Her ruby gaze met his golden one and held it. His face was expressionless and Kagura wanted to hold him in her arms and tell his it was okay to feel sad.

It wasn't fair he had to go through things like this, she thought to herself, no one should have to deal with demons like Okonosata. Kagura's fist clenched, her perfectly manicured nails digging into her skin. Now she knew. Knew why he didn't like to talk about his family. Knew why his eyes had clouded over with hate when Inuyasha had mentioned who had attacked Kagome in the hospital.

She looked at him and once again tried to force herself to say something. "Sesshomaru I—" A lump formed in her throat and she couldn't go on. She just continued to stare at him, mixed emotions swirling in her mind. Sesshomaru finally broke their gaze and looked out the window. It had become overcast and threatened to rain at any moment.

"Don't," he said, his void of all emotion. Kagura blinked in surprise. Sesshomaru got up and walked to the glass sliding door. It led to a small patio on the side of the house, complete with two lawn chairs and a small white metal table.

"I didn't—" she began but he cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"It's been years since he died Kagura," he leant against the wall, his eyes unfocused but directed at the floor, "And I don't want your sympathy." His arms were crossed against his broad chest, giving Kagura an image of finality. But at the same time, she could almost feel the emotions swarming in his mind.

Kagura's ruby orbs hardened and her fist clenched again but for a different reason. She was tired of Sesshomaru holding back from her. No matter how close they had become there was always a barrier between her and his heart and it was starting to get to her. She wanted to know him completely, to be able to feel what he felt instead of being held at a distance.

She stood up from her chair, the wooden legs scraping against the floor. His eyes were still down cast as she walked up to him. It was only when she stood right in front of him that Sesshomaru finally looked at her. Kagura couldn't tell what he was thinking but she didn't care at the moment. He opened his mouth to speak but never got the chance.

A loud _slap_ sounded through the kitchen as Kagura's hand made contact with his face.

Sesshomaru's head snapped to the side with the force of the slap. His hand slowly reached up and touched the tender skin. It started to turn red and the slightest contact he made with his fingers stung. His golden eyes had widened as soon as Kagura had hit him and now shone with surprise and shock. He turned to face her and his eyes widened a little more as her expression change from angry to hurt and back again.

He watched Kagura's beautiful crimson eyes spit fire at him. He was in complete and utter shock. No one had ever hit him before. Not even Inuyasha, whom he had shared many brawls with. They usually used weapons but in the few fights where they had gone hand to hand, Inuyasha had always been beaten.

Inuyasha had a tendency to let his anger and frustration take hold of him. It would cloud his mind and cover his senses, which would always lead to his defeat. Sesshomaru always kept calm and focused, his objective clear at all times. His technique out did Inuyasha every single time and he was able to overcome every like obstacle his younger brother threw at him.

But Sesshomaru could not hide the emotions that swirled within him at that moment. Someone had slapped him. The person standing in front of him had slapped him. Kagura had slapped him. And she had slapped him hard. He touched his cheek again and flinched. No, she had slapped him really hard. He opened his mouth and her eyes flared.

"If you say anything, I'm going to hit you again," she said, raising her arm for emphasise, "And trust me Sesshomaru, I never break a promise." He stared at her for a moment and then closed him mouth, wondering what she was going to do next.

She had him backed up against the wall beside the sliding glass door. It had begun to rain and was creating a steady beat against the glass. The rain was the only sound and it echoed loudly through the kitchen. Sesshomaru swallowed slowly, never breaking eye-contact with the woman in front of him.

What had he done to make her so mad? Her crimson eyes flashed at him and Sesshomaru felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest. His mind was full of dangerously clashing emotions. Anger. Surprise. Confusion. Desire. The last one was a constant when it concerned Kagura.

When she was around other people she gave off the image of elegance and poise. But when they were alone, she was liquid fire in his arms. Sesshomaru couldn't believe how different she became but never complained. He loved every side of her . . . wait a minute, did he just say love?

If possible, Sesshomaru's golden orbs widened even more. Did he actually . . . love her? He had figured it was just a very . . . intense relationship, but at the thought of another man even touching Kagura . . . Rage invaded his mind and clouded his vision. He wouldn't allow any man to touch _his_ Kagura. His internal growl then turned into a groan as reality set in.

He loved her.

Sesshomaru let out a curse under his breath and prayed Kagura hadn't heard it. That would be just what he needed. Kagura was still standing in front of him, her hand ready to hit him again if need be. He ground his teeth together and waited for her to speak. She obviously had something to say and he hoped it wasn't going to end with handprints on both sides of his face.

"I'm sick and tired of you trying to hide your emotions from me, Sesshomaru," Kagura finally said, her eyes flashing, "I know you felt something for your father and even though the killer is still on the loose you act as if it's nothing." Sesshomaru was taken aback.

"I didn't say—"

"You didn't have to say it Sesshomaru," Kagura let about a sigh and shook her head, "It's in the way you're voice changes. You try to keep your emotions hidden, but I can see right through you. I just . . . I just wish you would share them with me yourself, so I wouldn't have to go digging for them."

"Kagura, I—" The look in her eyes caused a lump to form in his throat. Kagura was also very skilled at hiding her emotions but the loneliness in her eyes was like a punch in the gut. Did he really hide his emotions like she said? Sesshomaru knew it was true even as he questioned himself. He had always done it; it was his way of keeping people at bay, a way of protecting himself.

But he didn't need to protect himself from Kagura.

She was the one person that he had never needed to be on guard around. And yet he had still done it out of habit. Sesshomaru felt like smacking himself. He reached out and wrapped his fingers around Kagura's wrist. She pulled back in protest, her gaze sharpening. Sesshomaru's lips curled up into a half smile and his other hand went up to Kagura's neck.

His fingers spread over her skin, his thumb slowly caressing. Her body gave an involuntary shiver but her ruby eyes were still glaring at him. Sesshomaru was suddenly hit with a wave of desire, his pants becoming tight as he stared at the woman standing in front of him. How could he even have considered trying to hide from her? He forced her hand down and then pulled her against his body before crushing his lips against her own.

Kagura's mouth opened in shock, which he took advantage of, sliding his tongue in. She tried to pull away but Sesshomaru kept his grip tight, deepening the kiss. His tongue ran over her teeth slowly and then entangled itself with hers, massaging and caressing. He could tell Kagura was still trying to fight it, so he moved her even closer. They were now touching from chest to knee and he rocked his hips a little.

That was all it took. Kagura let out a groan and melted against him. Knowing that she was no longer a threat, Sesshomaru let go of her wrist and she snaked her arms around his neck. His hands slid around the brunette's waist. He still couldn't believe how well they fit together, like two pieces of the same puzzle.

Kagura wiggled as she tried to get closer and Sesshomaru moaned into the kiss. The little vixen could change moods within a matter of seconds and so he never knew what to expect. But he liked that. He was tired of women throwing themselves at his feet or only seeing him for his money. Kagura actually argued with him and was beautiful when she did. Her face would become flushed and her exotic crimson eyes would flash at him and dare him to argue back.

Suddenly she pulled back, breaking the kiss. Her breath was laboured and she stared at him, her head cocked to the side, "What was that for?" Her eyes were searching, trying to find his motive for kissing her. Sesshomaru just growled. Then he picked her up and headed towards the bedroom.

"We'll talk later," he bit out. Kagura just shook her head in exasperation and kissed him again. He could tell her hunger was as demanding as his. He also knew that she wouldn't let their discussion go; but he needed her now and he wasn't about to wait. Laying her down on the bed, their clothes quickly littered the floor. Then he was on top of her and their gazes met, both flaming with desire.

They didn't speak for a long time.

#-#-#

Kikyou couldn't keep the smirk off her face as she watched Kouga walk away from her. It was just too perfect! Not only was she going to get her revenge, she wasn't going to even lift a finger. She loved the way she could manipulate people into doing her dirty work.

It was almost like having a set of obedient servants that would do anything and everything for her. Actually, Kikyou would have been surprised if Kouga had refused. It wasn't in his nature and he had too much pent up anger towards Inuyasha to say anything but yes.

Kikyou's lips curled up in delight as she headed towards her car. If she didn't hurry, she was going to be late for her appointment. Just because she planned to get revenge on her cousin didn't mean she couldn't do it in style. Although, she needed to look good when Kagome was yanked off that pedestal she thought she was on.

Kikyou cursed under her breath, "That stupid bitch. She thinks she's so smart," Then a smirk formed on the raven-haired women's lips, "But not for long. You've let your guard down Kagome, and this time you won't know what hit you until it's too late." She opened the door to her car and slid into the driver's seat just as her cell phone rang. Cursing under her breath, Kikyou rummaged through her purse and pulled out the vibrating object.

"Moshi moshi."

"How's my favourite student?" the sultry male voice asked. The frown turned to a smile and Kikyou's good mood returned.

"Naraku." His name was said in a whisper, goosebumps already appearing on her skin.

"I take it you're having a good day?" he said with a low chuckle. Kikyou sat back in her seat, the phone wedged between her ear and shoulder.

"I am now."

"You give me too much credit."

"Perhaps," she said, her lips curling into a sexy smile, "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for you." Kikyou couldn't help the small moan that escaped her lips. He would be waiting and she wanted nothing more than to go to him but she had an appointment that she absolutely had to go to.

"I can't . . ." she said as she started the car, "I have to get my nails done. And don't ask me to cancel like last time. The dance is tomorrow and I don't have time to reschedule."

"I wouldn't dream of doing that," Kikyou could tell by the tone of his voice he was smiling, "How about tonight? It won't take you that long to 'get your nails done' will it?"

"You obviously don't know anything about women, Naraku," she said with a smirk. He made a snorting sound.

"I don't want to know about other women," he murmured, "I only want to know about you." Kikyou shivered. He always did that. Merging into the mainstream of traffic, she headed towards the nail salon.

"That's good to hear."

"Are you really going to take all day?" Kikyou bit back a laugh.

"Of course not. But I don't know when I'm going to be done."

"Come over when you're done, I'll wait."

"I'm sure you will."

"I'll see you tonight then."

"Hai, ja ne." Kikyou clicked off her phone and tossed it into her purse. Yes, today was definitely a good day.

#-#-#

Inuyasha stared at himself in the mirror. It was the night of the dance and he still hadn't decided how he really felt about the whole thing. No matter how many times he had denied it, he was really looking forward to going with Kagome. And no matter how many times Miroku had asked him, Inuyasha still hadn't told him the real reason why he was taking her. Not that he had one anyway.

He let out a sigh and fixed the collar of his black dinner jacket. The dance wasn't formal, which was why he was wearing a deep red turtleneck underneath, but something in the back of his mind told him he needed to dress up a little. He was wearing black pants to match the jacket and a diamond stud sparkled in his left ear.

He turned around, inspecting himself until he realised what he was doing. Letting out a snort, Inuyasha shook his head, "What the hell am I doing? It's just Kagome." But even as the words passed his lips he knew it was a lie. It had never been just Kagome, not since the incident in the hospital at least. Inuyasha still couldn't believe she had stayed with him the whole time.

"That stubborn bitch," he grumbled, "Getting herself sick. What am I going to do with her?" A flash of naked skin and tangled sheets appeared in his mind and caused him to blush. He shook his head to clear it but the image burned in his mind. There were a lot of things he'd like to do to Kagome, most of which would take place in the bedroom.

Gripping the edge of the bathroom counter, Inuyasha stared at his reflection in dismay. Why was he having these thoughts? They were becoming more frequent and he was afraid someone was going to notice his...reaction to his best friend.

"Something's wrong with me," he told his reflection, "Maybe Kouga hit me harder than I thought." He sighed again and released the counter. He fixed his jacket once more, and then walked out of the bathroom. Taking one look around, he declared himself ready and made his way into the kitchen where Miroku was waiting.

The dark-haired man was dressed casually in similar black pants and a dark blue dress shirt. It wasn't tucked in, and he had rolled up the sleeves to just below his elbows. A black leather jacket was draped over one of the chairs. He turned to Inuyasha as he entered the room and grinned.

"Ready to go?" His foot was propped up on the same chair his jacket was on and he was tying his shoelace. Both he and Inuyasha had on black dress shoes. Just because it was a casual dance, didn't mean they couldn't go in style. Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the island in the middle of the kitchen area.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Miroku's grin turned mischievous and he rested his elbow on his knee as he looked Inuyasha over.

"A little dressy for a club, don't you think?" he said, his eye sparkling. Inuyasha mentally groaned and then rolled his eyes.

"Oh give me a break! I've had enough of your you're-in-love-with-your-best-friend bullshit. Am I not allowed to dress up any more?" Inuyasha averted his eyes and fiddled with the end of his right sleeve. Miroku shook his head and put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"It's alright you know."

"What is?"

"Being in love with her." This time Inuyasha groaned out loud.

"When are you going to give that up?"

"When you stop lying to me and yourself and admit that I'm right," he said casually.

"Feh." Miroku just shrugged his shoulders, continuing to grin. He walked back to the chair, picked up his jacket and slung it over one shoulder. Then he grabbed his keys and motioned to the door.

"It's now or never."

"What do you mean now or never?" Inuyasha almost growled, "We're going now because Kagome and Sango will chop off our balls if we're late."

"It's sad because it's true." He walked towards the door and opened it, then waited for Inuyasha before locking it behind them. They walked down the hallway in silence and then down the flight of stairs leading to the parking lot. Sango had told them the day before to wait outside instead of picking them up at their room and Inuyasha still didn't understand why.

"Remind me again why we're not picking the girls up at their dorm?" he asked, breaking the silence as they reached the front door. Miroku pushed the door open, shrugging.

"I'm not sure of that myself," he replied, his breath turning into fog in front of him. "That's just what they asked us to do."

"And you don't think that's strange?" Miroku didn't reply, only shrugged as he put on his jacket. "Not very talkative tonight, are you?" The violet-eyed male just shrugged again and walked to the edge of the concrete sidewalk. His hands were shoved inside his jacket pockets and he was rocking back and forth, looking around. Inuyasha stared him for a moment before his lips curled up into a smirk.

"Nervous much?" he asked, walking up beside him. Miroku looked at him without turning his head and raised one eyebrow.

"Nani? Me, the great Miroku, nervous?! Yeah right." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and slapped him hard on the back. Miroku, not expecting, stumbled forward a few steps before catching him balance. He turned around and gave his friend a curious look.

"What was that for?"

"For being stupid," Inuyasha replied. Miroku's eyes widened a little.

"How was I..." He stopped mid-sentence when Inuyasha shook his head.

"It's alright you know."

"What is?"

"Being nervous."

"So you actually were listening to me earlier," Miroku said as he stepped back onto the curb. "Ready to admit I'm right?"

"Feh, that has nothing to do with it," he snorted. "You're nervous because Sango actually agreed to go with you this time. And it didn't require you getting down on your hands and knees and beg." Miroku regarded him slowly.

"I still don't know why that should make me nervous."

"How about the fact that they've been getting ready for the last three hours and you don't know if you're going to be able to keep your hands to yourself?"

Miroku grinned sheepishly, "That might do it." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"You never change," he chuckled. "But then again, I'd be scared if you did." Miroku's grin became real as he eyed his friend.

"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult."

"Take it as both."

"Sounds good to me." Inuyasha shook his head, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. It was true; Miroku hadn't changed since high school. He had what Inuyasha called the 'Wandering Hand Disease' and it got him into a lot of trouble. Especially with Sango.

Most girls would just get really embarrassed or scream. Sango did both but she also had a tendency to make Miroku's face turn red as well . . . with her fist. Inuyasha couldn't count the number of times his friend had ended up on the floor, unconscious after trying to feel Sango up.

Secretly, Inuyasha had a feeling that deep down, Sango didn't mind all the attention Miroku gave her. It was only the little things that had triggered this assumption, but it had been triggered just the same.

Although Sango hid her feelings very well, Inuyasha had sometimes caught her looking at the dark-haired pervert, a hooded emotion reflecting in her magenta orbs. She had been hurt when she was younger, though Inuyasha didn't know the extent of it, so he knew that she was afraid of getting close to anyone.

Inuyasha looked around for the girls again, and then checked his watch. They were already ten minutes late. He forced himself not to curse, 'They threaten us and tell us to be on time, but when it comes to them, the rules don't apply.' Running an aggravated hand through his hair, Inuyasha grumbled under his breath.

It wasn't just the fact that Kagome and Sango were late, it was the whole damn situation. They had been extremely secretive about what they were doing to get ready and they had told Inuyasha and Miroku not to come by their dorm at any point. Miroku had actually had to hold Inuyasha back from storming to their dorm and breaking down the door.

Something was up and his instinct was telling him it wasn't something good. His instinct had never been wrong. Why was Kagome keeping things from him? Kagome never kept things from him. He was her best friend. Something had to be wrong. Inuyasha was about to voice his opinions to Miroku when he heard someone running towards them. Both men turned around and watched as Sango approached.

Her hair was in its regular ponytail but her bangs had been curled slightly and framed her face nicely. She was wearing a long dark coat so Inuyasha couldn't tell what she was wearing underneath. However, from the fact that the bottom of the coat only went down to her knees told him she wasn't wearing pants. Her shiny black boots glistened in the light coming from the dorms, stopping just below her knees.

"Hey guys," she said, a little out of breath. "Been waiting long?" Inuyasha was about to chew her out but Miroku spoke first.

"Of course not, Lady Sango," he replied, his voice oozing with charm. Sango and Inuyasha rolled their eyes.

"Yeah right." She put her hand on her hips, her magenta eyes sparkling. They stood out more than usual with the hot pink eyeshadow dusting her eyelids.

"At least we were on time," Inuyasha sneered.

"Only because Kagome and I threatened to castrate you."

"That's besides the point," he retorted. Suddenly Inuyasha frowned, his eyes going over Sango's shoulder. "Where's Kagome?" Sango's lips curled up into a small smile.

"She needed a few extra minutes to get ready—"

"You've been getting ready for hours!"

"—and she said for Miroku and me to go on ahead," she finished, ignoring Inuyasha's comment. "We'll take his car and you can take Kagome in your when she gets out here." Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, giving the brunette a sceptical look.

"I thought we were all going together." Sango shrugged her shoulders.

"Plans change." She grabbed Miroku's shoulders and pushed towards the parking lot. Inuyasha stared after them, a slight grin forming on his lips.

"Are you sure this wasn't your idea Sango?" She glared at him over her shoulder but he could see the colour starting to creep into her cheeks.

"Wanted to get me alone, ne Sango?" Miroku's voice carried across the parking lot and Inuyasha had to stifle his laughter. He then watched as Sango slugged him in the jaw and proceeded to carry him to his car by the collar of his jacket. He was grinning like the Cheshire cat and Inuyasha shook his head, hoping that Miroku would still be conscious by the time the couple got to Hakurei.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets once more, Inuyasha turned around and scanned the front of the building for Kagome. There was no sign of her and he sighed, "Women . . . why they need so much time to get ready is beyond me." He kicked a pebble across the pavement in frustration. Patience was not one of his strong points.

Growling under his breath, he searched the front of the dorm building again. Damn it, where was that woman?!

"She is so going to get it when she gets out here," Inuyasha said to himself, grinding his teeth together. He went and leaned against the metal pole that acted as a thin banister to the stairs that lead up to the dorms. He flinched a little, the coldness seeping through his pants and into his skin. His breath froze as he let out a sigh, the warm air turning into a wispy fog in front of him.

'I wonder what Kagome will be wearing?' the seemingly innocent question appearing in his mind. It didn't really matter, Kagome would look good in what she chose, but Inuyasha found himself wondering just the same. Would she dress casual, or go for the simple but fancy look? His brow furrowed as he tried to think of the most likely combination. However, his thoughts were cut short when a loud noise sounded behind him.

Inuyasha turned around as a dark figure on a motorcycle pulled into the parking lot. The engine was loud, it being the only sound, and Inuyasha couldn't help the growl that reverberated in the back of his throat. The cyclist did a circle around a group of cars before settling on a spot right across from him.

The person was wearing a long, leather jacket and Inuyasha was surprised that it hadn't got tangled in the driver's feet. It went all the way down to the person's ankles and was draped over the back of the motorcycle. Even if it hadn't been s dark outside, Inuyasha still wouldn't have been able to make out the figure's facial features. A black helmet with red flames covered his head, blocking it from view.

Inuyasha realised he'd been staring and quickly averted his gaze. He didn't hear the person move, didn't hear the engine being cut. Inuyasha pushed it to the back of his mind and concentrated on what he had been thinking about earlier: Kagome's outfit. He hadn't been able to come up with something solid yet and it frustrated him.

The driver gunned the engine. As a natural reaction, Inuyasha turned his head and stared back at the person on the motorcycle. It was almost as if he was being challenged. Raising an eyebrow, he sauntered to the edge of the curb. The figure leaned forward, casually crossing his arms across the dashboard of his black motorcycle.

Inuyasha shifted his weight onto one leg and he looked him up and down, "You got something against being quiet punk?" the golden-eyed man called across the parking lot. "'Cause as far as I know, people can get real cranky if their study time gets interrupted." He doubted there were many people actually studying tonight, but he kept that to himself. The figure didn't reply so Inuyasha turned and started to walk back to his place near the stairs.

The driver gunned the engine again.

Something inside Inuyasha's mind snapped. Maybe it was because he was tired of waiting. Maybe it was because he couldn't figure out what Kagome was going to wearing tonight. Maybe it was because it was cold. But whatever the reason, he was now ticked off.

"What the fuck is your problem?!" he yelled. "You've got some nerve, you little bastard, to try that twice!" The person cocked his head to the side almost innocently, then shook it as if to say "You're the one being stupid." This infuriated Inuyasha. He stepped off the curb and started towards the motorcycle, continuing to yell at the driver.

Inuyasha stopped mid-curse when the person reached up to remove his helmet and smirked, "So you're actually gonna do this face to face? You've got guts, I'll give you that, but if you think for one minute that I'm going to—" Inuyasha's voice got caught in his throat as a pile of long raven hair spilled out from under the helmet.

Crystal-like laughter spilled across the cold pavement of the parking lot and suddenly Inuyasha was looking in a pair of very feminine, very familiar sapphire eyes. She rested the helmet on her hip, her other hand resting on the dashboard once more. Her dark pink lips curved up into a smirk before she spoke.

"Hey stud, care for a ride?"

#-#-#

#ducks rotten fruit and sharp objects# I know, I know!!! I don't update for seven months and then I leave you with a cliff hanger #ducks more sharp objects# I'M SORRY!!! But like I said, I've already got the chapters planned out for the most part. That's just the way the cookie crumbles, I guess . . . #gets hit in the face with a frying pan by her editor#

Sereia: What the hell was that for?! You already got me for not updating!

Lark: #grins# That was for the cliff-hanger.

Sereia: #glares at her, but then pitches forward and she gets hit from behind# Oi!!!

Ryan: #grins as well# That was also for the cliff-hanger.

Sereia: NOT FAIR!!! You guys can't team up! #backs up as both Lark and Ryan advance#

Lark: Give us one reason why not.

Sereia: #gulps and runs for it, Ryan and Lark hitting her every so often with their frying pans as she calls to her reviewers# Please review, the next chap won't take very long, I PROMISE!!!

Ryan: Yeah, we'll make sure of that. #hits her over the head with his frying pan again#

Sereia: Oro...Look at the pretty birdies...


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